Love, She Wrote
by DakotaCatherine
Summary: Bella writes amazing love stories, but she thinks they're all silly and unrealistic. So what does she do when her life begins to copy her latest narrative, and she slowly but surely falls for her best friend, Edward Cullen? AH! Read and Review PLEASE!
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:**

**I really hope that you like my story, "Love, She Wrote"!**

**I would like to thank Merevaik for helping me decide to publish this story on fanfiction!!! 3**

**Disclaimer: I was inspired to write a story of a girl falling in love with her best friend by the Taylor Swift song "You Belong With Me," so there will be a few aspects of this story that might be parallel to the song. (So this is a semi-songfic.)**

**Also, the characters in this story are Stephenie Meyer's, not mine, naturally.**

I was blanking out. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't even begin to squeeze a story out of my mind today. It made me panic a little; I worried I was losing my touch. For me, it usually didn't matter what the situation was, I could still churn out a decent story—especially when it came to love stories like the one I had to write now.

I let my head drop onto my desk and heaved a sigh. Alice would kill me if I didn't have another riveting love story for this issue.

In the midst of my self-pity, I heard a sound from my computer screen. Was it an enchanted fairy that had come through Word Processor to give me a new, magical narrative? Nope, try again; it was facebook chat. I rolled my eyes and clicked on the internet window. How had I forgotten to mark myself as idle?

I expected a message from Alice, hounding me for my story, but to my surprise, it was my best friend Edward, who also wrote for the school newspaper.

His chat message read, ever so simply: "Hey, Bella. What's up?"

Nobody could know I was writing this story, so I had to fudge a lie. "Nothing. I'm bored stiff. Hbu?"

"That stinks. I'm not doing anything either, just hanging out here at home." There were a few moments before his next message popped up. "Hey, do you want to go hang out? I got a couple coupons for the smoothie place in the mall."

I smiled. Edward didn't even know I was having trouble, and he managed to make me feel better. He was one of my closest friends; sometimes I swore he knew me even better than Alice and Rosalie, my best girl friends, did. It had been that way for so long—we had been friends since kindergarten.

I typed in reply, "Awesome idea! Meet you there in ten minutes?"

"Sounds like a plan. See you, Bella." He signed off a moment later.

I grabbed my bag, slipped on my Converse, and shrugged into my favorite sweater before jumping into my ancient, red Chevy truck and driving over to the mall. Naturally, Edward was already there; he always drove too fast.

"Hey, Edward," I sang as I gave him a quick hug.

He smiled a grin that lit up his whole face. "Hey yourself, turtle," he joked, hinting at my taking the travel time of an average human to get here.

I laughed. "Not all of us are Formula 1 racers!" I poked him with my elbow.

"True," he ceded, "but most people at least move faster than frozen syrup."

We spent most of the rest of the day like that; we were having fun, just like always. Unlike always, though, from that time I hatched a new story idea: the heroine would fall in love with her male best friend.

**I hope you enjoyed the first chapter of my story! Please review!! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: The italicized portion at the beginning of some of the chapters in an excerpt from Bella's latest installment for her story, fyi.**

_Lacey smirked at Brenda as she grabbed Eric by the hand. _

_"Baby, come on," she whined. "I want to go home."_

_Eric complied with his treacherous girlfriend's request instantly._

_"See you, Brenda," he called as he waved goodbye with his free hand. Brenda hesitantly waved back, watching her best friend—her love— walk away with that slime of a girl. Couldn't he see her true colors?_

**Bella POV**

Alice and Rosalie looked up from the draft of the first installment of my new story. Alice was reading it as both my friend and the Editor in Chief of the school newspaper, but Rosalie was reading as a fellow writer and a friend.

"Wow," Alice finally said, eyes wide. "That's really something. So Brenda falls in love with her best friend, but right as she figures out her feelings, the best friend starts going out with the popular girl who hates Brenda?" She paused, searching for affirmation, and I nodded.

Rosalie sat in a nearby chair, leant back, and thought out loud, "Wow. What happens to Brenda? Does she get Eric in the end? And what about that bitch Lacey?"

"Rose!" I exclaimed in response to the cuss word. "But then again, I guess she is. But I couldn't use that word, or else they wouldn't let me submit that as my anonymous installment piece. And since that's what I intend for the story to be, I haven't decided exactly where the story is going to go yet."

Both of their mouths fell open. They smiled wide in surprise and excitement as Alice squealed, "Seriously? This is your new anonymous piece? How perfect! Everybody will love this, Bella! It'll be your biggest hit yet! I'll give it to Mrs. Carpenter so that she can put it in next week's issue as soon as possible." She jumped up and squealed again. "I can't wait!"

"Can't wait for what?" I heard a velvety and friendly voice say. I turned to the speaker and smiled.

"Hey, Edward," I greeted. My smile grew wider—not only because I was extra glad to see him (I had felt the need to see his face—I had badly missed him since our smoothie trip last Friday and today's sleepy Monday morning), but because I was cleverly disguising the story that I had to hide from my inspiration. "Rosalie is just excited about the piece Mrs. Carpenter has assigned her to write for the next issue. She gets to interview the basketball team." I turned my head to her and smiled a telling grin. "Isn't that right?"

Rosalie looked at me at first like a deer in the headlights, but then the light bulb atop her head lit up brilliantly and she smiled back and nodded. She turned her head to Edward and gave him an exaggerated nod.

He looked at Rose like she was slightly insane and eyed me skeptically, but dropped it. "I can tell you all are lying, so I don't expect to see that interview, Rosalie," he said, looking at the bad liar. "But I won't bother you guys about it. Not yet, at least. See you at lunch." He smiled again and left the journalism classroom. I was glad I got to see him today—I usually didn't see him all that much on B schedule days.

I stayed looking at the door from which he had gone for a little bit, smiling. I turned back to my friends to continue our conversation where we had left off, but they were staring at me with smart little smiles on their lips.

"What is it? Why are you looking at me like that?" I demanded, feeling attacked.

Rosalie leant back in her chair again. "Oh, nothing," she paused, "Brenda." She stood up and faced me with a knowing expression.

I rolled my eyes, knowing where this was going. "Oh please. You know Edward is my best friend."

Alice put up her index finger. "Oops, you mean Eric." They were thoroughly enjoying this.

"Guys! I do not have a crush on Edward! I'll admit that I got the story idea from hanging out with him, but not from having feelings for him! How ridiculous do you think I am? Love stories are so silly anyway. You know that I think they're too far-fetched for reality." I crossed my arms and tapped my foot. Alice's amused expression slowly faded into a pout.

"You are no fun at all. But I bet that it's your subconscious trying to break free," Rosalie tried still.

I rolled my eyes and went to walk out of the room. "Goodbye, girls!"

"Wait for us!" they exclaimed as they grabbed their purses and chased after me into the cafeteria.

After I got my lunch, I took my tray and sat beside Edward at our usual table.

Our table housed only six people: Edward, his friends Emmett and Jasper, myself, and my friends Alice and Rosalie. Edward, Alice, Rosalie, and I all wrote for the school newspaper, even though Edward and Rose didn't always get along so well. Edward, Emmett, and Jasper were all on the baseball team together; they were among the best players on the team. And then, in addition to all of that, Edward, Alice, and Emmett were siblings and Jasper and Rosalie were twins.

The connections sometimes boggled my mind, but for the most part I ignored them. I only paid attention to the fact that we were all friends.

"Hey girls," Edward greeted us. "One of my friends from the baseball team is having a birthday bash this weekend and he wants me to bring some people. Do you girls want to come?"

"Ooh, are all your other friends from the team going to be there?" Rosalie asked excitedly. Rosalie's ideal type of guy was an athlete and a total hunk, and the baseball team was a gold mine of guys she considered her type. On top of that, she was a lonely single girl looking for a boyfriend, and all of the guys on the baseball team were lining up to be that boyfriend because she was so gorgeous. (She had long blonde hair and a perfect figure… if she wasn't my friend, I would've been insanely jealous of her beauty.) So, put all of this together and… bam! Rosalie loved any chance she got to hang out with the members of the baseball team and would die if she missed an opportunity to see them all in one place out of school.

Edward rolled his eyes, seeing right through Rose to her motives. "Yes, they'll all be there for your little fantasies, Rose," he told her.

Before I could even get a word out, Rosalie answered for me and Alice. "We'll be there, Edward!" Rosalie was grinning from ear to ear. I shot her a look. Why did she always have to drag me into parties? I hated parties—everybody acted so crazy and I always got drenched in soda.

Alice laughed at the exchange taking place and told her brother, "Sure, I'll be there, too."

Edward saw my distress and asked me personally, "So Rosalie is obviously coming, and Alice too, but what about you, Bella?" The way he looked at me was made it so difficult to say no. _Oh well_, I thought, _I can just hang out with Edward for most of the night. It'll be fun! _

*******************************

Going to that party was the biggest mistake of my life.

"Rosalie!" I yelled, competing with the blaring speakers.

"Where are you!?" Alice shouted, beside me, also trying to find our friend. I squinted and scanned the large room. I saw her talking to Jack, the captain of the baseball team. I pointed her out to Alice just as she looked our way and waved us over. She was preoccupied with us just for long enough for the shallow guy to spot another cute girl and follow her away from Rose.

"Bella! Alice! You let him get away!" She pouted. She saw the discontented look on my face and inquired, "What's the matter?"

What, the Coca-Cola on my favorite American Eagle tee wasn't a give away? "I got soda spilled on my favorite shirt and I can't find Edward," I shouted.

She nodded. "Let's go out on the patio, he might be out there," she suggested normal volume, right next to my ear. I nodded in agreement.

We all made our way out of the dark and crowded room into the cool and beautiful February night. I looked up at the clear sky; it was breathtaking. "It's so much quieter out here," I whispered.

Alice didn't respond. She looked nervous. "Let's go back inside," she said quickly as she turned. Rosalie nodded in agreement and turned to follow, but I grabbed them.

"There is no way on this earth that you can get me back into that room," I told them definitively. "Come on, let's go over to the—" I stopped midsentence as I saw what Alice and Rosalie had wanted to avoid.

There was Edward, sitting next to some trampy-dressed girl who was shoving her tongue down his throat.

"Edward?" I asked in astonishment. I gaped at my best friend. Since when did he kiss like that? Since when did he kiss _girls_ like that? Who was she? I was repulsed; not so much by him, but by this girl. Who was she? What had she done to my best friend, my Edward?

They stopped. Edward had the decency to look embarrassed, but the other girl sat there, smirking. She scooted closer to him and grabbed his arm.

I recognized the girl now—it was Lauren Mallory, one of the most popular girls in the school. She was none too bright and I thought her obnoxious. Alice and Rosalie were with me on that point, although the guys couldn't see it. All they could see was her entrancing smile and big boobs.

"H-hey Alice, Rosalie, B-Bella," he stuttered. He coughed and regained his confidence. "This is Lauren, my… girlfriend." He motioned to the tramp.

"Nice to meet you both," she said in a sickly-sweet tone.

"It's great to meet you too," I said skeptically. "Edward, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend?"

She spoke for him. "I asked him not to tell anybody until tonight. We've only been dating for a week now, since Saturday." Edward nodded to affirm what she had said as she kissed him on the cheek and twisted his bronze hair around her claw-like finger.

I was still flabbergasted. "Oh… well, it's nice to know, I guess," I snapped somewhat bitterly. Before I could make some excuse to get away from the new lovebirds so I could barf, Lauren stood up.

She yawned and stretched out her long, thin arms. "I'm so tired, I think I better go." She looked to her boyfriend. "Edward, will you drive me home? I don't feel like finding Kayla."

"Sure, Lauren," he said with a smile, standing up. "Just let me say goodbye to a couple people first."

She put on a pout and grabbed his hand. "Baby, come on," she whined. "I want to go home."

Edward stopped in his tracks and instantly complied with his girlfriend's request.

As they walked away, Edward looked back. "See you, Bella," he called as he waved with his free hand. I hesitantly waved back to my best friend. When he turned forward, Lauren turned her head back. A smirk crept onto her face as she stared me straight in the eyes.

Edward, the gentleman that he was, escorted his treacherous girlfriend to his car and let her in. He sped away faster than he should have, naturally, and I thought, _how can he not see that tramp's true colors?_

I snapped back to reality and recognized what had just taken place. I looked at Alice, my mouth wide open.

"Your story," she whispered.

"It was the same exact scene!" Rosalie whispered, adding her observations.

What the heck was going on?


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: This chapter is the previous chapter (and a small additional event) in Edward's POV. I think it's important for understanding where he stands... I hope you enjoy it as much as the last two! Thanks for the reviews on those!!! **

Edward POV

I was at home, getting ready for the party. I was excited; tonight was the night Lauren and I were going to tell everybody we were together. Inviting Bella was a good idea—I wanted her to be there for me to tell her myself. Lauren was so great—she was kind, bubbly, and so good-looking, too! I compared her for a moment to Bella; they were so completely different. Lauren was tall and strawberry blonde, while Bella was a bit on the short side—but not as short as my sister, Alice—and was a brunette. Bella was intelligent, but Lauren…not so much. Lauren's face looked like a statue of a Greek goddess and her body was skinny as a stick, while Bella was a healthy but slim size and had a rounder face, with her cute little nose, big chocolate-colored eyes, and her hair framing her face beautifully…_NO! _I had to stop myself.

I did the worst possible thing I could ever do during sophomore year last year—I fell in love with Bella. I don't know how or why, but I did. I fell in love with her smile, with her laugh, and the sight of her…even now seeing her beauty makes me melt. But she made a big deal—not long after I discovered my feelings, as a matter of fact—about how stupid love stories are, like the anonymous one that Alice was putting in the paper.

"They are so ridiculous," she stated exasperatedly. "I don't know why anybody even reads them! All they are is foolish and unrealistic, just like love itself." She seemed to be overly vehement in her criticism, as if somebody said she was the one who wrote them and she was denying it. (I don't think she would ever write a love story, but she is a brilliant writer. Another reason I fell in love with her—our similar love of writing.)

I had felt so horrible after that day since I had been reading that story for ideas about how to tell her about how I felt about her. I was crushed—if that was how she felt about love, how would she feel about me being in love with her? So I kept my feelings hidden and quelled my love until all that was left was the way the sight of her made me feel inside.

And now, a year later, I had a plainly superficial crush on a pretty girl who liked me back. When I asked her out, she even said yes, and now she's my girlfriend.

I hoped all of my friends would approve of her. I'm sure Jasper and Emmett would, but Bella was a much different story. I knew Lauren's type—tall, popular, and ditzy—was not Bella's favorite type of person. But I knew in my heart she would be happy that I was so happy with her.

***************************

Ok, so inviting Bella was a mistake. A huge mistake.

"Edward?" I heard her angelic voice gasp and ask in shock. I normally would have smiled and relished the sound, but I was kissing Lauren. It made it even more awkward that when we kiss she sticks her tongue far back in my mouth—a habit of hers I don't particularly care for.

I recoiled instantly, making Lauren upset. I motioned with my head toward my friends before addressing them.

"H-hey Alice, Rosalie, B-Bella," I stuttered. _Pull it together, man, _I thought. I cleared my throat and continued. "This is Lauren, my…" I debated whether to introduce her to Bella as my girlfriend or not, and I took the jump, "my girlfriend." I cringed at the disgusted expression of surprise on her face as I motioned to Lauren.

Lauren was wonderfully polite when she said sweetly, "Nice to meet you both." She smiled, too, flashing her pearly whites.

"It's great to meet you too," Bella replied skeptically. Wait a minute, what was with that attitude? Lauren had just been nice to her, so why should Bella be so skeptic and untrusting? She looked at me. "Edward, you didn't tell me you had a girlfriend?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but Lauren so kindly covered for me. "I asked him not to tell anybody until tonight. We've only been dating for a week now, since Saturday." I nodded to affirm her true words as she kissed me on the cheek and twisted my hair around her finger. It felt nice to get affection like that from a pretty girl. I liked having a girlfriend quite much.

Bella's expression turned sour. "Oh… well, it's nice to know, I guess," she snapped with ice in her tone. What was wrong with her tonight? I thought she would be happy for me, but I guess I was wrong.

Lauren stood up as she yawned and stretched out her arms. "I'm so tired, I think I better go." She looked to me with an affectionate smile. "Edward, will you drive me home? I don't feel like finding Kayla."

"Sure, Lauren," he said in reply, smiling. "Just let me say goodbye to a couple people first."

She put on a pout and grabbed my hand. I felt bad for delaying our departure but held her hand tightly anyway. "Baby, come on," she pleaded. "I want to go home."

I stopped on my way to the house as my remorse got the best of me. I instead walked with her to my car; I could text the guys later to say bye.

Bella, on the other hand, my conscience would not allow me to text goodbye to. I turned back to wave with my free hand and holler, "See you, Bella!" She hesitantly returned the wave. _What is wrong with her today? _I thought as I escorted Lauren into my car and drove off.

************************

I was proud of the paper we had put together the next week. I had written a piece on the head of the athletic department here at Forks High, and Bella had written a short—surprisingly short—article about nasty lunch food, which was something simple that I thought was below her. She was acting so out of character lately.

I was flipping through my copy and I stopped in my tracks when I came to the third page. It read:_ Ladies and Gentlemen, our anonymous writer has come_ _up with another love story for our reading entertainment! She has titled it "Only Friends" and it will have several installments, one coming out every week. Enjoy!_

I muttered an expletive and read it quickly. I hoped it wouldn't bring back my feelings for Bella, since the last time I read anything like this was when I was struggling with that situation.

It was about a girl who falls in love with her best friend. _Ironic enough,_ I thought, _being that_ _what happened to me was the exact opposite._ Her name was Brenda and the guy's name was Eric. I was dying laughing at the coincidental names! But the laughter stopped when Eric got a girlfriend, Lacey (would it ever end?) that was painted in a nasty and evil light and she happened to say, verbatim, what Lauren had said last Friday at the party.

I stormed to Alice's locker. Luckily, Bella wasn't around.

"Alice, what the hell is this?" I demanded to my sister, pointing at the installment of the story. "Why would you put this in a story and write all that mean stuff about Lauren?" I was flaming mad. She laughed, and I felt like punching her. "What's so funny?"

"That was written before the party, and I wasn't the author, either," she continued to laugh. "It's all a spooky coincidence, don't you think?"

My anger was quelled. "Well, what about the names?"

She shrugged. "I'm not the author, Edward. How would I know? I guess they're coincidences, too." She walked away without looking back.

What the heck was going on?

**Please Review! **


	4. Chapter 4

**_A/N: _Hope you like this chapter!**

**Up until now, I had already written the chapters and just edited them and posted them her on fanfiction. I had to write the end of this chapter, and will have to start from scratch on the future chapters, so it might take me a little bit longer to update. I'll still try to be as fast as I can, though!**

**Thanks for all of the reviews so far! They really help my self-confidence :D **

Bella POV

_Eric stood up, aggravated. "Why do you suddenly care so much?" he shouted._

_Brenda stood up also, in front of him. "I've always cared, Eric! You know that! And Lacey…she just bothers me. You don't see it, but—"_

_"No, Brenda! Not that again! She's _my _girlfriend; I think I know her better than you do. Butt out," he told her finally. He turned to leave, but Brenda stopped him._

_She knew he was wrong, but she couldn't stand him being upset with her at a time like this. She grabbed his arm to stop him._

_"Eric," she pleaded, "please don't be upset. You're right—I'll butt out."_

_Eric looked at Brenda with an unreadable expression. "Okay," he said quietly. He smiled a little—a very small and dim smile compared to his usual joyful glow, but a smile nonetheless—and gave Brenda a hug. _

_Brenda relished that hug; it was such a rare occasion that he hugged her anymore. She let a tear fall down her cheek and wiped it away without him noticing. She was falling apart, and she knew it; the worst part was that Lacey was wielding the hammer that started it all._

The past two weeks since the party had been great. I hadn't had to deal with Lauren at all, and everybody at school loved my new story. Not only that, but I had been able to multitask writing my article, writing my story installment, and studying flawlessly—I had even gotten an "A" on my Physics test! Everything couldn't have been going better.

So, then, why was I still so depressed? I hadn't face-to-face talked to Edward outside of the newspaper staff meetings since the party; Lauren engulfed all of his free time. I was starting to feel so lonely for him that even a text message or a brief call on my cell meant the world to me! I was pathetically missing my best friend with a new intensity I'd never felt before and didn't understand at all.

I had decided to take my real feelings and include them—and the situation that caused them—into my installment piece for this week's issue that came out today (but I added extra events too, naturally). A summary of today's installment was that, first of all, Brenda is having a difficult time in school because she is majorly depressed by her separation from Eric. To add to her already stressed peace of mind, Lacey would, out of jealousy, start a rumor about Brenda that Eric would believe, painting Brenda as being mean and rude toward Lacey. Eric confronts Brenda about it in the hall at school, but she's only hearing the rumor for the first time. She denies the claim, and Eric skeptically believes her, but a trace of contempt for the possibility Brenda could do something like that remains. Brenda realizes this, and is saddened even more that Eric is still somewhat angry with her. He plans to go on a nice date with Lacey that night to straighten things out, but she says she has studying to do (when she's actually cheating on him, but nobody knows… yet). So he, instead, invites Bella, who is ecstatic, over to his house. She ends up bothering him too much about Lacey, however, and Eric gets defensive and angry. Brenda apologizes, but is distraught at his being oblivious to the truth and almost cries.

I was pretty proud of it myself, but I wouldn't be paying attention to the school's reaction after publication—only the events in my own life. I mean, Edward's getting a girlfriend and that conversation were just coincidences, in my opinion; however, curiosity was getting the better of me. In the end, I knew another coincidence just wouldn't happen. Love stories as reality? Puh-lease.

As I was thinking about all of this, I was subtly watching Edward and Lacey across the cafeteria. She was playing with his beautiful bronze hair and he was laughing, but something was off about his face… I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

"Earth to Bella," I heard from some distant place. "Bella, are you in there?" I heard again, accompanied by an exasperated sigh. "Brenda!" the voice finally yelled and I looked beside me to the source. Rosalie was there, a smug smile on her face.

"So you're only answering to Brenda now? That makes sense, seeing as you're always spying on _Eric _and _Lacey_," Alice commented.

My eyes narrowed into slits as I shot a gaze at my friends. "But I don't have a crush on Edward," I reminded them icily.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Of course you don't," she sarcastically stated, "you just watch him every second of every lunch period, always talk about him and sometimes even his accomplishments, seem to loathe his girlfriend with an intensity that one might think is jealousy, and on the rare occasion that he gives you a hug you don't want to let go. You _totally _don't have a crush on Edward, Bella. You're absolutely right." The sarcasm in her voice was thickest at the end. I shook my head at her words.

"Hey, Stella? Allison? Rosamond?" I heard an unintelligent voice say.

"Hi, Lauren," I said out of required politeness, and corrected, "Our names our Bella, Alice, and Rosalie; not Stella, Allison, and Rosamond."

She rolled her eyes and sat down. Oh no, I would have to deal with this strawberry-blonde bimbo? "Yea, yea, whatever." She waved my words away with a flick of her manicured hand.

Rosalie showed no patience for this girl; I think she was just tempting me to act the way I truly wanted to. "What do you want, Lauren?" she snapped bitterly.

"No need to get hostile," she defended, giving her the once over. "I was wondering if you all could help me out with Edward. Our two week anniversary is tonight and I want to get him something special, and all I need is some information about him."

Alice half-smiled. "Oh, if you're looking for information about Edward, go no further than Bella here. She and Edward have been best friends since kindergarten." She and Rosalie immediately left the table with the excuse of a bathroom break, but I knew their true motives. I would pay them back another time.

I answered every dumb question Lauren threw at me, most of them being very simple things that she should know already. (Such as that his favorite sport was baseball, that his favorite animal was a lion, that his favorite color was blue, and his favorite hobby being writing— as was mine.) Even though I wanted nothing more than to be rude, impatient, and hit this girl upside the head, I controlled my impulses; even though I detested her and saw through her shallow cover, Edward for whatever reason liked her and would get upset if I was mean to her.

"One more thing," she asked when I was almost at my limit.

"I hope it's not another thing you should already know as his girlfriend," I mumbled inaudibly.

"Is there anything important that you think I should know about Edward?" she asked me.

I deliberated for a moment; there were so many important things about Edward that she probably didn't know! She probably didn't know that he has a monster collection of baseball cards that he inherited from his grandfather, or that he sometimes plays the piano with breathtaking talent, or that he has the most mysterious and intriguing writing style that I have ever seen, or that when he smiles everything seems right in the world…. There was nothing I could express—no story I could give justice to—in the short five minutes remaining in lunch.

I answered truthfully (the way Edward would want me to answer), "Well, there is, but I can't manage to tell you any one thing completely before lunch is over."

She seemed taken aback. What, my logic made no sense to her? "What, so you refuse to tell me?" she accused. I tried to defend myself, reiterate the logic, but she continued. "You don't want to help _me_, your best friend's girlfriend? You refuse to be kind to me?"

"No! They're just long stories, and I—"

"Well, whatever," she cut me off. "I don't need your help anyway." She flipped her hair and stomped away in her Jimmy Choos.

Alice and Rose returned from their twenty-minute "bathroom break" and Rosalie whispered, "Like we said, she's a…"

"I know, Rose. She is, but we don't have to say it."

**********************************

I was rejoicing that it was finally the weekend. I had already changed into my sweats and a t-shirt when I got a call on my cell.

I knew Alice had a club meeting after school today, so she couldn't be calling me. Who was? I answered the call without checking the caller ID.

"Hello?" I asked in a confused tone.

The laugh on the other end of the line told me immediately who it was. "You sound as if you forgot who I was," Edward joked.

"No, just your number," I joked back. I was so glad he called! I swear I must've been the happiest right then as I had been in weeks.

He laughed, but he didn't sound too happy. "Very funny," he replied. He continued with sadness obvious in his tone, "Lauren can't make our anniversary date tonight because she got grounded on account of her failing her Physics test. Do you want to hang out or something? I haven't talked to you in a while."

I was ecstatic! However, his somber tone decreased my enthusiasm. "Yea, that's a great idea! Why don't you come over here? We can order pizza and listen to music, just like old times."

"Just like old times," he echoed with a smile in his voice. "I'll see you in an hour. Bye, Bella. Thanks."

I frantically ran around my house getting it—and myself—ready. My excitement had made me jumpy, and in my hyper mood I had to take a shower, clean the house, order the pizza, call my dad, Charlie (to tell him that Edward was coming over), and change out of my t-shirt and sweats.

After changing back into my jeans from earlier and a more feminine top than I would normally opt for (it was something Alice insisted I buy), I wondered why I felt the need to do all of this in preparation for Edward coming over to hang out—something that had happened over a million times before. I changed out of my pink halter top and into my concert t-shirt from a concert that Edward and I had seen when we were freshmen.

I heard the doorbell ring, and my heart skipped a beat. What was the matter with me?

It seemed to be another person running down the stairs and opening the door, but my body reclaimed my self when Edward gave me a greeting hug—but a hug nonetheless, and I relished it with joy in my heart.

"Hey Bella," he smiled as he hugged my tightly.

"Hey yourself. You've practically become a stranger to me; I feel like I barely see you anymore!"

He looked around with a confused expression on his face. "Your house… it smells different."

I laughed. "That's what happens when you don't come over for two weeks! I'm almost surprised you remembered where my house was."

He chuckled at my joke but sniffed again and continued, "It smells like pine-sol and febreze," he guessed, spot-on.

_Oh crap, I forgot that I cleaned, _I remembered. "My dad was cleaning yesterday and overdid it with the febreze, and he spilled the pine-sol over there, by the kitchen sink," I lied quickly. Well, it was only partially a lie; I had overdone it with the febreze and spilled the pine-sol beside the sink.

"That sounds more like something you would do," he remarked, again spot-on. "Is there something you're not telling me?"

I blushed and looked at the floor. "Maybe it was me."

Edward cracked up then. "How did I know? You are so bad at cleaning, and so clumsy, too!" He paused and looked at me curiously. "But you know you don't have to clean for me."

I tried to cover it up, but I think my nervousness to get off that topic was visible to Edward. Scratch that; I _knew_ it was visible to him.

The pizza came a half-hour later and we ate it quickly, saving a piece for Charlie. We sat on the couch and talked for a couple hours, and we went outside to where the woods meet my backyard around five thirty-five, when it was starting to get dark.

When we got to the edge of the woods and sat under a tree, he asked me carefully and quietly, "You haven't been mean to Lauren or anything, have you?"

"What?" I asked, disbelievingly. I was shocked he would question my character and think that I wouldn't be nice to somebody he liked so much, no matter how deep-rooted my antipathy was for her. I continued, concerned. "Of course I wasn't, Edward. I know how much you like her, you know that… and you know me. Why would you think that I wouldn't be nice to her?"

He hesitated again before inquiring, "_Other_ than the fact that I can tell you hate her?"

I bit my lip. "It's that obvious?"

He looked down and played with his hands. "Well, not to Lauren, or to anybody else for that matter, but you know I can read you better than anybody else can. And as for thinking that you were mean to her, she told me and her friends about how you refused to help her study for her Physics test, which she failed," he reminded me, "and that you called her stupid. She told me how you pushed her, too. Is this all true?"

My mouth fell open and I felt betrayed. I wasn't betrayed by Lauren—I had expected her to lie at some point—but instead by Edward, who believed that I had been rude to somebody he liked—I refused to think that he truly loved something so despicable.

"Edward… of course none of it is true. You know I know how much you like her, and I've treated her accordingly. I might hate her, but I don't act on that hatred. I… it's unbelievable to me that you would think I was low enough to do otherwise." I was so hurt. Not only had that slime of a girl lied to Edward about me, but he had believed that lie.

A thought suddenly occurred to me and drew me away from my sadness momentarily. "Wait; did you say she told her friends, too?" I confirmed.

He nodded, confused. "Yea, she told Jessica and Kayla. Why does that matter?"

I was stunned by his being so oblivious. "Jessica and Kayla are two of the biggest gossips at Forks High!" I exclaimed. "Everybody is going to think that I was mean to Lauren, the most popular girl in school—and the queen of the school, practically. I'm socially dead!"

I was freaking out, but Edward put his hand on my shoulder in a consolatory manner. "Bella, don't worry about it. Jasper, Emmett, Alice, and Rosalie will still like you, and I still like you, so you'll still have friends. As for the rest of the students at Forks High—I'll find a way to counteract the rumor."

His touch had calmed me to the point where I could see the situation clearly. I shook my head and laughed humorlessly. "That would be impossible. It'd be like emptying a sack of feathers from the top floor of a building and then trying to go and collect all of the feathers—there's no way you'll be able to get barely any of them. Thanks for wanting to try, though. I appreciate the thought." He smiled at me in response to what I had said. I suppose he thought I was being very mature about the whole thing.

I continued on another topic. "So it doesn't bother you that Lauren lied to you?" I asked.

He thoughtfully sighed and looked into the distance. "I don't think she flat-out lied. I think she just over-reacted to something you did and embellished the story a bit with the push…. But I'll ask her about that. I'm sure neither one of you are wrong in this situation."

I pushed further, angered by his response that didn't back me up. "But she spread a rumor about me! How is she not wrong for that?"

Edward shrugged. "I don't think she meant it maliciously, Bella," he muttered, annoyed.

"But what if she lies to you again? If she 'embellished' this story, how do you know she won't misrepresent the truth in the future? How do you know how she feels about you isn't her just 'blowing things out of proportion'?" I spat quickly, leaning forward toward him.

Edward had reached the end of his rope. He stood up, aggravated. "Why do you care so much about my relationship with Lauren?" he shouted.

"I've always cared about _you_, Edward! You know that! And all I want to do is protect you. Lauren…bothers me. I know you might not see it, but—"

"No, Bella! No buts!" he shouted. "She's _my_ girlfriend, so I think I know her better than you do. How many conversations have you had with her, one? If you cared, you'd get to know her better, or else just butt out!" Edward was breathing heavily. He turned to walk to his car and I jumped off the ground. I couldn't stand to have him angry with me when we were seeing each other so rarely, and at a time when I felt so depressed.

I held him by his arm to stop him. "Edward, don't go," I whispered. He stopped. "Please don't be upset. I get it—I can't judge. I'll butt out." I stood there, waiting for his response. I could tell that Lauren was malicious beneath those designer clothes and fake tanned skin, and I knew I was right. However, I had to let Edward think that he was right in order to save our friendship.

He looked at the ground, and finally at me. "Okay," he whispered, smiling just the tiniest bit. "I won't be upset. But I think it _is_ time for me to go." He walked closer to me and gave me a hug.

I relished that hug even more that the others before it, if that was even possible. It was in that moment, in that hug, that I realized the truth—I was truly and completely in love with Edward.

I let a tear fall down my cheek as I gave in to that unarguable truth. I wiped it away without him noticing as I told him goodbye and watched him race away in his car.

At that time, I recognized the most important part of the story that came true in reality—the heroine fell in love with her best friend.

**Thanks for reading! Please review~  
~Dakota**


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: This chapter was kind of hard to write... I don't think I'm too good at coming up with mean actions. Well, you judge. **

**I hope you like it!**

Bella POV

"_You've already killed me socially with that rumor!" Brenda shouted, laughing humorlessly. "All I value are my friends, and Eric is one of them. Plus, I think I can handle whatever a bitch like you tries to do to me."_

_Lacey stared at Brenda, speechless. Her anger was clearly evident on her face; her mask of calmness was shattered._

_Brenda's knees began to tremble as she was filled with fear and her adrenaline left as swiftly as it had appeared. Nobody had ever talked to Lacey Mannion that way. Brenda might as well have been dead there on the spot. _

_Lacey's expression was one solely of pure hatred as she muttered, "You better care." She slapped Brenda square across the face._

_Her books fell again and she raised her hand to her red cheek. Her eyes welled up as Lacey stormed away angrily. _

_Brenda bent down once more to quickly pick up her books, oblivious of the gaze that was fixed upon her._

_As she rushed to class, Eric stared at her with horror in his eyes. _

I faced every day with much difficulty after I realized my love for Edward.

Alice and Rosalie were—for sure—growing tired of my behavior, even though it had only been going on since the Saturday before, and it was Wednesday. All I would do was mope around. But then again, what else was there for me to do? The boy I loved was in love with another, and not just any other—a girl whom I hated and who returned the sentiment. I was the heroine in my real-life story, but in real life, the heroine doesn't get her prince charming. She doesn't defy the odds and end up with some made-up fairy tale love—in real life, I don't get to live happily ever after.

I didn't talk at lunch during those three days; I would just stare sullenly at the table where Edward sat with Lauren. When Alice, Rosalie, and I had gone shopping the Saturday before, I put such a damper on the trip and emitted such a foul aura that Alice didn't make me try on even one dress—something that was completely unheard of. I was definitely the worst during the Forks High Newspaper staff meeting that Tuesday. I had to lie and assure Edward numerous times that there was nothing wrong with me.

I knew he could tell I was lying—he knew me too well to not figure that out. But I also knew that he would never figure out the truth behind my sadness. I had ranted numerous times last year, when my first anonymous piece came out, about how ridiculous and unrealistic love and love stories were in order to leave no suspicion that I was the author of my anonymous piece. How much I regretted those words now!

On the Wednesday after my realization, Rosalie decided that she had had enough.

I had sighed as I saw Edward give Lauren a small kiss on the cheek.

Rosalie hit the table out of anger in response. Emmett would have made some snide joke about her action, but he and Jasper had moved to sit with Edward last week. "Goodness, Bella! Get a grip on yourself!" she had shouted. "If you love him so much, then don't just sit there crying about it! You're acting so pathetic. Do something, for crying out loud! Go after him." Rosalie was breathing heavily and I could tell she was relieved to get that off her chest.

I was speechless. Rose's frank analysis crashed onto me like a tsunami; I knew what she had said was completely true.

"I… I…" I tried to respond, but tears began to choke back the few words I was trying to say. I started sobbing and Alice received me into her comforting arms.

"R-Rose," I tried again, "y-you're r-r-right. I'm n-n-not doing"—I sobbed in between the words–"anything, a-and if I j-j-just sit h-here"—another sob—"I'll never be with h-h-him!"

I completely broke down then, and Alice gave me another hug. She rubbed my back and mumbled "It'll be okay" and "Don't cry" and various other consolatory phrases while I saw her shoot a look at Rosalie, who was frozen in shock at what her words had done to me.

"Bella, I'm sorry…" Rose muttered. "I didn't mean to make you cry like that, I just…" she trailed off deep in her own thoughts.

After a few minutes, I was finally pulled together enough to respond. "Rosalie, please don't feel bad. You told me words that I desperately needed to hear. I _do _need to stop wallowing in my self-pity, get off my ass, and find a way to get Edward." I paused, reaching an obstacle. "The thing is… how exactly do I do that?"

Alice, in her brilliance, was already prepared—she always was. It was as if she could see the future. "Bella, I think I have a plan," she said slowly, "but I need to know—what has happened since Friday concerning you, Edward, and Lauren?"

I was confused by her question, but I trusted her. "Uh, I hung out with Edward on Friday, since Lauren was grounded, and we got into a small fight. We made up though, although I think he still doesn't trust me completely…. As for Lauren, she started that awful rumor about me, saying I shoved her and all of that." As soon as I said the final word, it all clicked. "My story," I said in shock. "It happened again!"

"Exactly," Alice said with a smile, glad that I caught up. "You can use whatever supernatural power that is making your story come true to your advantage." The smile on her lips turned mischievous.

"Good idea, Alice," Rosalie commented, her smile just as sinister. She turned to me and said, "You can write in an event that makes Edward break up with Lauren… I mean, that makes Eric break up with Lacey."

"Well, Edward kept giving Lauren the benefit of the doubt when I was arguing with him on Friday… so I should let him see who she really is, without a doubt." The mischievous smile must've been contagious, for it was not long until I found it on my face, too. I high fived my friends as we left lunch, and I started brainstorming for that week's installment.

******************************

So that's how I wrote that week's installment: Eric saw Lacey do something cruel to Brenda. I had surprising difficulty writing the cruel action; I assumed it was because I knew it would have to happen to me. Or, I at least hoped it would. I trusted that Alice's plan would work, somehow, even though I wasn't quite sure I believed my story would come true again. My common sense still warned me against love and believing in love stories.

It was published that Friday.

"Whoa, a little harsh, don't you think?" Alice asked when she first read it.

"Do you think you can be ready for that, if Lauren does to you what Lacey did to Brenda?" Rosalie added.

I bit my lip. I had been paranoid all day long; I was scared. I was looking over my shoulder, tense and ready for Lauren to come sauntering down the hallway and the scene to take place…. "I guess we'll just have to find out," I said finally. "If Edward breaks up with her, it _will_ be worth it. But if he doesn't… well, I'm sure he will."

The weekend came and went without anything happening, and I had all but forgotten last week's installment.

Yes, I had all but forgotten… until Monday morning. When I saw Lauren sauntering up to me, I froze. Trying to remember what I had written and how to act, I stood there looking like a complete idiot. _Way to go, Bella,_ I thought.

She was close to me; almost pressing against the books for my next class that I was holding in my arms. She knocked them to the floor, her face calm yet perfectly conveying her antipathy for me—she had mastered the Posh Spice Pout for moments just like these.

"You better get those," she spat in my face.

I was like an ice sculpture of myself. I snapped back to reality and bent down to pick up my books.

She followed, whispering to me, "Swan, I don't like how close you are to my boyfriend. I want you to stay away from him from now on."

Her voice had such a commanding tone to it, but I did not obey like so many before me. "No way," I told her flat out, standing up. "He's my best friend."

She seemed shocked by my reaction—she was used to getting her way. "I don't think you get it," she said, her voice getting louder and going up an octave. "You will stay away from Edward, if you value your existence at Forks High."

I laughed. Who did she think she was? "You've already killed me socially! All I value are my friends, and Edward is one of them. Plus, I think I can handle whatever a bitch like you tries to do to me."

Her face was priceless as I realized I had gone farther than I had intended. I didn't mean to say the b-word out loud; how did it slip out? I couldn't remember if I had written it into the installment or not….

She stared at me, speechless. Her anger was clearly evident on her face; her mask of calmness was shattered.

My knees trembled as the fear came back into my system and replaced the adrenaline that my anger had given me. Nobody had ever talked to Lauren Mallory that way. I was a dead man walking.

Her expression was one solely of pure hatred as she muttered, "You better care." That's when she slapped me across the face.

My books fell again and I raised my hand to my red cheek. Of course, _now_ I remembered everything in my installment. My eyes welled up as she stormed away, her Manolos clicking angrily against the hallway floor.

I bent down again to quickly pick up my books and avoid the gaze that I knew was on me.

As I rushed to class, I saw Edward out of the corner of my eye, staring at me with horror in his beautiful green eyes.

**You know the drill... review please! Thanks for reading!!! 3**


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Sorry it took me longer than usual to update.  
I hope you think the wait was worth it! This was definitely my favorite chapter to write so far... but that doesn't mean much.  
All that matters is what YOU think! (and, please, tell me what you thought of it! review after reading please! thank you for all of the reviews I've gotten so far! they make me feel so good about the story and about myself as a writer and inspire me to write. so... thankyou, a million times over! :D)  
Hope you enjoy this chapter!!!**

**Edward POV**

I was still horrified at what I had just witnessed. Did it really happen? Did Lauren, my girlfriend, who had always been so nice, just _slap_ Bella, my absolute best and closest friend?

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief. I still saw Bella walking quickly—too quickly—to class, her hand on her red cheek. Yup, it _had_ just happened.

I couldn't concentrate on anything. English class and history class went by in a blur, and I was pretty sure I had failed my Spanish test. I couldn't even go to lunch—I didn't think I could even look at Lauren.

But as soon as school let out, I was practically running to the parking lot to find her. I had to confront her about what I had seen and had been thinking about all day.

"Lauren!" I called after her when I saw her walking to her car. "Lauren, wait up!"

She looked back, an annoyed and angry look that was alien to me on her face. It immediately turned into a smile when she realized it was me.

She said sweetly to me, "Hey baby," as she reached up to kiss me. I stopped her in her tracks.

"Lauren," I said sternly, "I need to talk to you about something."

An innocent and puzzled look came onto her face. If I hadn't known any better, I would have said that it looked manufactured and not genuine.

"What about, Eddie?" she asked.

I cringed internally. I _hated_ when she called me that ridiculous nickname, but I proceeded. "About something I saw go on this morning between you and Bella in the hall."

A range of emotions flashed across her face: first, shock and surprise; second, fear and confusion; and finally, sorrow—but the last one seemed like an act.

"Oh, Edward!" she cried, hiding her face in my shirt, one Alice had gotten me. I felt tears against my skin that had gone through it—something Alice would be none too happy about. "It was horrible! Bella was so mean to me! She hates me so much. She told me to stop going out with you, and when I said no, she called me… she called me a bitch!

"I admit I lost my temper then," she continued, "but she had pushed me over my limit! So I… I slapped her." She burst out sobbing then. "I feel _so_ horrible! I'm a horrible, _horrible_ person! I'm _so_ sorry, Edward!"

I hugged her, rubbing her back. "It's okay, Lauren," I consoled her. "I understand now. I'll talk to Bella." I felt bad for assuming she had been so malicious—I knew she was a nice person. But then again, there was an inner voice screaming at me, "No! There's no way Bella would ever be mean like that! Lauren is lying! She _was _malicious when she slapped Bella!"

Lauren looked up at me, anger on her wet face. The tears had rolled down her cheeks and were still in her eyes, but her eyeliner and the rest of her makeup was perfect… it was as if she had anticipated this situation and put on waterproof makeup this morning.

"No, Eddie," she almost commanded, using that annoying nickname again. "I don't want you talking to her anymore. I don't trust her."

"I have to give her a chance to explain herself," I said, immediately regretting it. The anger in her face intensified before I corrected myself. "I mean, I also have to tell her not to treat my girl like that anymore." I was tired of the drama between Bella and Lauren, and I _did_ have to do something to the extent of telling Bella to not be rude to Lauren anymore. I needed her to be kind.

"Well, if _that's_ what you plan on doing," she said innocently with a hint of smugness, "I _guess_ you can go ahead." She pulled away from me, no sign of her emotional outbreak on her face. There were no more tears, no smeared makeup, no sorrowful expression—nothing. "Anyway, I really have to go. I'm meeting Jessica at the mall. Thanks for looking out for me, Eddie!" She kissed me on the cheek and was off.

I watched her get into her car and start it up. My imagination must have taken over then, because I swore I saw Lauren smirk to herself as she left the Forks High parking lot.

_Nah_, I thought to myself and got into my Volvo.

Next stop: Bella's house.

****************************************

When I arrived at the house that I knew so well, nobody was home. I had figured that would be the case; for Bella, it was a ten minute drive from school to her house, while for me it was a four minute drive.

I walked up the sidewalk and sat on the front porch steps. I had to think about the puzzle that I was putting together in my head that showed what really happened this morning.

First, there was Lauren's account. It seemed innocent enough… and it made sense that Bella would tell Lauren to stop dating me. Bella honestly thought that Lauren was bad for me, and she would definitely put my best interest ahead of what I wanted. But then, on the other hand, Bella usually didn't use the b-word… it wasn't her style. And not only that, but Lauren _slapped_ Bella. No matter what her reasons were for that, whether they were as large as she said or just as small as her own self-righteous pride, I was having difficulty with that fact.

Secondly, there was my account—what I had seen from the outside. It wasn't much. I had walked up to my locker when I recognized Lauren's strawberry blonde hair out of the corner of my eye. I had turned with a crooked smile, anticipating a hug and a small conversation, but naturally I got none of that. I instead saw Lauren with a look of pure and concentrated anger on her face and Bella's face beside hers, pale and full of fear.

Lauren had muttered something then before she had so quickly and cruelly slapped Bella, who dropped the books she was holding. Bella had picked up her books and scurried away after that.

Reviewing what I had seen, it seemed that Lauren was at complete fault—but everything is not as it seems. I had a genuinely difficult time believing Lauren would behave like that at all without good reason. I mean, the behavior itself blew my mind—but thinking she had done it for selfish and petty reasons just seemed so impossible to me. She was always so kind when I saw her.

Bella had told me before that she didn't trust Lauren, and my sister Alice had tried to tell me that Lauren was deceitful. I was beginning to question Lauren's true character… but then again, Lauren herself hadn't really given me any reason to do so. Yes, no reason at all… excepting this incident.

That's why it was so important to get to the bottom of what had happened! The discernment of Lauren's true colors rested upon it. The future of my relationship with her—my first relationship—rested upon it.

I shook my head in frustration right before I heard Bella's ancient truck come chugging down the street. I heard the deafening drone of the engine cut off; I heard the creaky rusted door open and slam closed.

"Edward!" Bella exclaimed with pure jubilance coloring her voice. I looked up. I almost regretted the decision; she had never looked so beautiful. Her chocolate-brown eyes glistened like magic, and her light skin had a joyful glow. Her hair shone like the moon, and her face… oh, her face! Even with a red welt on her right cheek, her face embodied all of the kindness her heart held, all of the creativity that her mind bore, and all of the beauty that the world encompassed. Her smile acted as a lovely ribbon—a lovely, wide, full ribbon—that tied all of this together.

It was wrong to feel this way about my best friend, especially when I had a girlfriend, I know. But… Bella had a special place in my heart. It was impossible _not _to love her.

"Edward!" She reiterated with just as much jubilation. "What's going on? What brings you to here?"

In that moment, I had the urge to forget about Lauren and about what I had seen, about the fact that Bella thought love was stupid and the fact that I had a girlfriend. I had the urge to throw all of that away, pull Bella into a loving embrace, and kiss her with all of the love I felt for her deep in my heart.

But, that's not how life works. Facts are facts and cannot be ignored, and certain knowledge is unforgettable.

I suppressed that urge using a skill that I had developed and honed since I fell in love with Bella. I reluctantly pushed her away from me, out of the greeting hug that she was giving me.

"Bella," I said without emotion, deliberating. "I have to talk to you about something I saw earlier, that I saw this morning at school between you and Lauren. What happened there?" My voice showed genuine curiosity and confusion as I asked those last three words. It had been a last minute decision to let Bella share her side of the story completely instead of my asking her a "true or false" question. I hoped it was a good one—I hoped that her story showed that she was completely innocent.

She looked toward the ground at her Converse sneakers that she always wore. Her smile was gone and the joy that had lit her features was replaced with a somberness and worry that darkened them. She grimaced.

"What do you think happened?" She asked, keeping her eyes on the floor.

I sighed—that wasn't the answer I was looking for. "All I _know_ is that Lauren…," I paused as I saw pain shoot through her face and gulped back my urge to console her and hug her, "slapped you. Will you tell me why?"

Without thinking, I ever so lightly caressed her red cheek in my hand. She looked up at me and her eyes seemed to burn with intense emotion—what emotion, I couldn't tell. I could tell, however, that I had made a mistake and crossed a line. I quickly pulled my hand back and shoved it into my pocket. Her eyes seemed sad—the emotion now gone—and she looked down again.

She seemed reluctant to release whatever words were on her tongue, but she finally mumbled, "I called her a… bitch." I was shocked to hear that what I doubted most about Lauren's account was in fact true. Bella never swore—she came close to swearing, but she never crossed that line. Why did she cross it now?

"What else happened?" I demanded, refusing to believe that Bella was at fault. "You have to tell me!" I shook her, trying to shake out an answer. When I finally let go, she crossed her arms and looked up at me.

She had a look on her face that told me that she had no more information for me. "There's nothing else to tell," she said definitively. Her face now turned confused. "Is that the only reason you're here? There's nothing else—no other news—that you wanted to tell me?" She seemed so sad and confused, but I just shook my head.

"No," I barely managed to say.

Her face showed pure shock before I turned and walked to my car. I waved, a force of habit and a common courtesy, and drove off at a speed that was fast even for me.

I had expected to find Bella innocent of all charges, and if that was true—if she was innocent—I was ready to dump Lauren in a heartbeat. But Lauren hadn't lied, and Bella wasn't innocent.

I had to clear my head. I was confused—so confused—and I felt guilty for doubting Lauren. I was angry with myself for loving Bella. I was angry that Bella had called Lauren a bitch, and I was angry that Lauren had slapped Bella! My life was turning into a dark, twisted love story. I needed to get away from it all. Right now, I needed to be alone….

I continued to drive and had no intention of stopping.

*

**If anything in the story is confusing you, please don't hesitate to ask! I am_ very _tired and I'm not 100% positive that I made complete sense. (I'm 99.9& sure, though, so we _should_ be okay. ;) )**

**I would like to apologize if I confused anybody with Lauren's haircolor... I know that it's Tanya with the strawberry blonde hair, not Lauren. But I couldn't have Bella and Lauren with similar haircolors, and I decided to illustrate how wrong Lauren was for Edward by making her the haircolor that he doesn't like. Again, sorry if I confused anybody! It was a weird decision....**

**I hope you liked this chapter! I'm pretty sure it's my longest yet. Please review!**

**Love, Dakota **:D


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I would like to apologize for taking such a long time to get this up on fanfiction.**

**And I would like to apologize in advance because I won't be able to even write again until the 14th (over a week from now) at the earliest.**

**This chapter, I have to admit, isn't exactly finished. I have been having difficulty for a week or two finding time to write the ending (of this chapter), so i decided to post the monster of a chapter I already had up here. It has a whole mess of pre-publish action, and more action that is before the real-life coincidence. It ends very close to right before the coincidence will take place.**

**Please give me your feedback on this chapter, not only how you liked it, but also:  
- whether or not you think the coincidence should be Epov or Bpov (Bpov is what I had planned)  
- whether you want me to add the coincidence as chapter 8 or to the end of this chapter (I would replace what now exists with the revised chapter containing the ending coincidence)** (I had planned on putting it at the end of this chapter and replacing what now exists with the finished chapter)  
- **whether or not I'm making any sense at all in this A/N.**

**I hope you really like this chapter!! It was once of my favorites to write (whats here so far, that is) so far.**

**Please R & R!**

Bella pov

_Brenda saw Lacey out of the corner of her eye, making out with Bobby Crawford from school in the corner of the food court._

_She wasn't even surprised; she had expected her to cheat of Eric. This fact, however, didn't diminish her raging hatred for the action. _

_"Hey, Brenda," Eric said, grabbing Brenda's attention. "I got your—" he was cut off when he saw his cheating girlfriend all over the other guy. He walked toward the cheaters, stunned, and when he got close to them he asked in disbelief, "Lacey?"_

_She looked up, startled. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw Eric, there, holding the drinks in his hands and gaping at her._

"_This isn't what you think," she lied._

*******************************************************

Alice told Rosalie and me all about what had happened in the Cullen household the night before.

"Last night Edward didn't come home by his curfew, ten o'clock, and my mom freaked out. She was crazy with worry for him. Every time she or my dad called his cell phone, he didn't pick up. He finally came home somewhere around midnight.

"My mom suddenly forgot her worry and tore into him as if he was never missed. She yelled at him, 'Where have you been, Edward Anthony?! You had me worried sick!'

"He just looked at her with basically no emotion and mumbled, 'I was driving. Sorry, Mom.' He turned toward the stairs I was watching from so that he could get to his room, but my dad didn't let him get that far.

" 'A simple sorry is not going to cut it, Edward. You nearly gave your mother a heart attack, and under no circumstances are you allowed to disappear like that. I'm taking your car keys until further notice,' " Alice mimicked her father's calm yet serious tone perfectly. She continued with the story, "Edward surrendered his car keys without even responding—which was so odd, normally he would've thrown a fit. He loves his car and absolutely hates being a passenger rather than a driver."

I smiled to myself; I had memories of all the many times Edward had talked me into letting him drive my truck. He'd always just climb into the driver's seat without asking, and after that it would either take me ten minutes of negotiations to get him to move to the shotgun seat or I would go over to the shotgun seat myself and admit defeat before the battle had even begun.

I went back to listening to Alice's commentary. "It was so odd. He was just so lifeless last night, and it was all gone by this morning. And then," she turned to me, "he didn't say a word to you today during the newspaper staff meeting! That was so unlike him! Bella, do you have any idea what happened?" Alice and Rosalie looked at me as if I had the answer to everything. Well, I somewhat did, but I barely understood myself what had happened yesterday afternoon when he stopped by my house.

"Well, I'm not completely sure, but here's what happened as far as I know:

"So, after school yesterday he stopped by my house. He was there when I got home," I informed them. Their faces showed they were still hungry more information. I sighed and started to tell the confusing account.

"I saw him deep in thought and shaking his head when I drove up. I, as you would expect, was overwhelmingly happy and joyful. I was plain excited to see him, and this was the first time I had talked to him since he saw Lauren… slap me. I had expected him to be telling me he had broken up with Lauren.

"The first thing I did was ask him, 'What's going on? What brings you here?' I had been thinking of their breakup as what was going on and what brought him to my front door."

I had wanted to kiss him right there on the spot, but naturally I didn't share this with the girls. I had wanted to give him a loving hug and just kiss him! My feelings were overwhelming, but I had to control them—I only gave him a hug that was much smaller compared to what my heart yearned for.

"Then I gave him a hug, but he pushed me away," I continued, omitting my desires.

"He asked me—emotionlessly at first but with think confusion and curiosity at the end—, 'Bella, I have to talk to you about something I saw earlier, that I saw this morning at school between you and Lauren. What happened there?'

"I looked at my shoes because although I knew that what had happened with Lauren would give me my chance to be with him, it still hurt to think about it. It hurt physically because it reminded me of the welt on my cheek, but it also hurt emotionally because I couldn't believe I had been so selfish as to use Edward that way—by writing in the story that he saw me in pain, which I knew would hurt him, too.

"I didn't want to add to his pain by just bluntly shouting how evil Lauren was, so I asked, 'What do you think happened?' and didn't look up.

"He sighed and said, 'All I know is that Lauren…' he paused when his reminder made my welt burn more—I should have known he would notice my grimace—but continued, 'slapped you. Will you tell me why?'

"After he asked that, he caressed my aching cheek ever so lightly. I looked at him with love so obviously burning in my eyes. His act seemed so full of love, and in that moment I was sure that he loved me just as much as I loved him. But, he quickly realized what he was doing and pulled his hand back and stuffed it into his pocket. My sadness that he pulled away was as obvious in my eyes as the love was and I looked at my shoes again.

"I didn't think to tell him my whole side of the story, just what had caused the immediate reaction of Lauren slapping me. I didn't want to tell him what I had said, but I finally muttered to him, 'I called her a… bitch.'

"His face showed evident shock and he demanded, 'What else happened?' When I didn't answer, not wanting to be the one to tell him his girlfriend was evil, he desperately pleaded 'You have to tell me!' as he shook me by my shoulders. After he finally let go, I crossed my arms out of uneasiness and looked up at him.

"My face was blank as I said, 'There's nothing else to tell,' expecting the fact that she had slapped me to be enough. I was confused as to why that hadn't seemed to be the case, and my curiosity was plain on my face when I asked, 'Is that the only reason you're here? There's nothing else—no other news—that you wanted to tell me?'

"I was plunged under a wave of misery when he shook his head and mumbled 'No.'

"After the wave decreased a small bit, the shock that the plan hadn't worked as we had meant it to showed on my face. I was truly and purely shocked!

"After that, he just waved goodbye and drove away faster than ever," I concluded. Alice and Rosalie stared at me with their jaws hanging.

Alice stuttered, "The plan… d-didn't w-work?"

I shook my head. I was rid of my sorrowful shock at this point; I had cried it all out last night. At this point, I was only full of dedication and hope. "But if at first you don't succeed, try and try again," I reminded them. "I'm going to continue the story as I had originally planned from the very beginning, before the coincidences—Lacey cheats on Eric. That'll be sure to work! Edward will be rid of that horrid creature for good, and if he has feeling for me like I have for him, we'll be together by the Spring Fling dance." I smiled as if victory was already mine.

The Spring Fling dance was a dance that Forks High held every year during March, on the Friday closest to the first day of spring, which, this year, was the first day of spring itself. I really didn't like dances, but went just to hang out with my friends and usually just stood around talking to Edward. This year, though, I was sure I would have a date. I would have a date and I would actually dance with him—something that my mind barely allowed and my body shivered at the thought of.

"Well, Bella, you're not the only one who knows who she wants to take to the Spring Fling Dance," Rosalie said definitively. "I know who I want to take."

Alice and I were surprised and curious. Rose hadn't said a single word about liking any guy, so who could this mystery man be?

"Who?" Alice and I asked in unison.

Rosalie bit her lip, seemingly regretting saying anything. But Rose's natural boldness came through, and she told us, "Well, he's on the baseball team, and I haven't had a crush on him or gone out with him before." She added nonchalantly, "Oh, and obviously it's not my brother or Edward."

Alice and I thought for a moment. It couldn't be Jack, Mike, or Ben; she had crushed on them freshman year. It couldn't be Felix, the second biggest guy on the team, either, because Rose had dated him last fall before he dumped her for some cheerleader named Heidi. After sorting through the list of names, only one was left.

"No way!" Alice squealed when we figured it out. "Unbelievable!"

Actually, it was quite believable. Rosalie preferred big, strong, and muscular guys. She had only crushed on Ben and Mike and the other smaller guys on the team for very short amounts of time, while her relationship with Felix had lasted for a month.

So Emmett was the obvious choice.

"My brother? Really?" Alice was still in shock, but very excited.

"You'd better believe it," Rose said with a smile. "I'm definitely sure about Emmett. He's always been so nice to me, nicer than just a friend usually acts… plus he's so funny. I just…. Thinking about him, I just get excited. I want to talk to him, want to be with him. It's starting to drive me insane!" She stopped for a moment, but continued. "I've been pretty sure about my feelings for a while now, but I wanted to talk to you guys first. And then Bella's whole Edward fiasco came up…"

"I'm sorry, Rose!" I exclaimed, giving her a hug. "I didn't mean to monopolize things." I felt so bad!

"It's fine," Rosalie said quickly, waving my words away with her hand but a bit of bitterness left on her face. She quickly changed the subject. "So, Alice," she started, turning to our pixie-like friend, "we know who Bella and I want to go to the dance with, but what about you?"

Alice was silent as she looked at her hands. "Well, girls," she stalled, obviously reluctant to tell us anything—she always had been very secretive of that personal part of her life. "I…umm… I don't know how to say this; it's something you would've wanted to hear about quite a while ago…"

"Spit it out!" I joked, nudging her on the arm.

She looked up like a deer in the headlights, squeezed her eyes shut, and said so quickly we could barely understand it, "I already have a boyfriend I'm going to the dance with."

Rose's mouth opened with a popping sound, as did mine.

"Hell yea we would've wanted to hear this a while ago!" Rose exclaimed.

"How long have you been keeping this from us?" I asked, still astounded. "More importantly, who is the guy?"

Alice sighed, telling us what we wanted to know. "We've been dating since Homecoming. We've been pretty—well, extremely, rather—private about our relationship, so don't feel too left out of the loop. Only our parents know. I've told my brothers that I was going to hang out with you, Rose, and he's told his sibling that he's been going to hang out with… two friends of his. Rosalie, I'm surprised you haven't found us out by now."

Rosalie was surprised and utterly confused. "Why?" she asked.

Alice looked at her hands again. "Hasn't somebody been leaving to go hang out with my brothers more often than in the past, and telling you that you couldn't go with him every time you wanted to go with him so that you could hang out with me?" Her question made it so obvious, and Rosalie at first looked embarrassed for being so blind but then shock was written all over her pretty face.

"JASPER?!?" she exclaimed. "You've been dating my BROTHER—my TWIN BROTHER—and I didn't know?!? How the hell did that happen?" Rosalie's shouting had caught the attention of the brother/boyfriend that caused the shouting, along with Emmett and Edward's attention, from across the cafeteria, and they all got up to investigate.

"Calm down, Rose," Alice said calmly to placate Rosalie. "I told you, we've been extremely private with our relationship. We're not showy with our affection, and we didn't want my brothers to tease us or you girls grilling me for details about our dates. Rose, if you had known, Jasper knew he wouldn't have gotten any privacy from you at home, so can you keep it as if you never found out? You have to promise to not be too pushy or intrusive."

Rose nodded, still shocked. "My brother, my twin brother," she kept murmuring.

The boys arrived just then. They were all smiling and joking around, but something seemed off about Edward's face. His laughter seemed forced, and his smile strained. Alice was right—something was horribly wrong with my best friend. He hadn't looked like this as long as I'd known him.

I stared at him, a curious expression on my face that asked, "What's the matter?" He just looked at me, his face now expressionless, not conveying a single emotion. It was heartbreaking seeing him like this, and I had to talk to him about it.

But now was not the time to talk. Our attention was turned to Emmett, who laughed loudly.

"What's going on over here, girls? Too much excitement for one lunch?" Emmett joked. Rosalie smiled and laughed, forgetting about her brother's hidden romance with Alice. I could tell by her smile and the way she looked at him that she did really love him.

"No," Alice said, her tone sounding guilty. "They just found out about something that surprised them." She looked at Jasper as she said this. His smile left his face and distress took its place.

"Why, Alice? Why did you have to tell them, my sister especially?" Jasper pleaded. He was not happy about this.

"Tell them about what?" Emmett and Edward asked jokingly, punching and slapping him on the arm. "Tell us Jazz!"

"Uh, your sister can tell you. I have to go…" he tried to get out of the unavoidable situation ahead—he had to tell his two best friends that he was dating their little sister.

"Oh, no you don't!" Alice caught him. "I had to tell Rose and Bella, so you have to tell Emmett and Edward. And I am sorry, but we were talking about the dance, and they would've found out there anyway. I'm sorry, Jasper." I could tell she was truly sorry.

"Find out what, Jazz?" Emmett asked, not joking anymore, but simply curious.

Rosalie and I were standing behind Alice, our lunch finished and our bags on our backs. She was standing close to Jasper, who was standing somewhat in front of Edward and Emmett. Jasper ignored Emmett as he grabbed Alice's hands and told her, "It's alright. I understand."

He leaned forward and gave her a hug and a quick kiss, and whispered in her ear to run. I just caught Edward's stunned expression and Emmett's "I'm-going-to-beat-the-crap-out-of-you" stance as we hurriedly followed Alice out of the cafeteria, giggling all the way.

************************************************************

So I wrote into the chapter that Eric sees Lacey cheating on him with some guy named Bobby Crawford, a random name that I made up. I ended it with Lacey telling Eric, "This isn't what you think," cutting out Eric's—and Edward's—reaction. I didn't want to control him like that.

When Friday came around, I had somehow completely forgotten about the installment that was published that day.

So, I was just as completely surprised when Edward called me after school on Friday.

He sounded dejected on the phone, but I still couldn't help being happy—he hadn't said one word to me since Monday, and I couldn't be more glad that he broke the silence.

"Hey, Bella," he had said, trying to sound excited but failing miserably.

"Hey, Edward," I chirped happily. I added, "Is everything alright?" His behavior had been worrying me, and now is tone was, too.

"Yes… no. You see right through me, Bella." He laughed dryly, and then continued. "Lauren and I were supposed to have a date tonight, but she cancelled. She said she got grounded again, just like she did a couple weeks ago." At this point, I should have at least remembered what Lacey was doing a couple weeks ago, but it slipped my mind in that moment. "So, I was wondering if you wanted to hang out. We can go to the smoothie place in the mall, my treat. I owe you for being such a jerk this past week, anyway, so what do you say?"

My heart skipped a beat, but I by some means controlled myself and stopped myself from squealing. "I say that's a great idea! I'll pick you up in ten?"

Edward sighed. "Alice told you about my Volvo being confiscated?"

"Yup," I replied, feeling bad for the car-lover. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," he assured. "Just let me drive your truck when you get here." He had a smile in his voice, and that made me smile.

I laughed. "Fine," I conceded. "As long as it makes you happy. See you in ten minutes. Be ready!"

He laughed at me. "You won't be here for fifteen minutes, the way you drive!"

I scoffed at his underestimation of me. I wanted to see him so badly I could run to his house. "Oh, yea? Watch me."

Five minutes and one poor, road-killed squirrel later, I made it to the Cullens' house. Edward was astonished when he opened the door.

"Bella! How the heck did you make it here so fast? You would've had to been driving over fifty miles per hour to get here in five minutes!"

I smiled sheepishly, coming up with a cover—he couldn't know that the reason I drove so fast was because I was madly in love with him and had to see his lovely face. I wasn't sure how I had never noticed his handsomeness before!

I suddenly reminded myself to come back down to earth and muttered, "I guess your driving has rubbed off on me."

He smiled from ear to ear, something Edward hadn't done in a while. It was a true smile—not forced or anything. It gave me such a feeling of bliss that he was happy. "Finally! Well, I'll go tell my mom I'm leaving. I don't want her to freak out again." With that he disappeared into his house and Alice skipped out. I got out of the car and gave her a hug.

"Even though it really made my brother upset, I am so glad that Lauren cancelled on him tonight. It does worry me a bit, though, how he'll respond to what he sees at the mall," Alice said.

I was lost. "What? What is he going to see at the mall?" I asked, clueless.

Alice eyed me. "Don't you remember your installment at all?" she asked, debating whether I was sane or not.

It clicked then. If we were going to the smoothie place, wouldn't we see Lauren and her "Bobby Crawford" in the corner of the food court? I remembered how upset Edward was when his date was cancelled, and I realized how much more upset and even devastated he would be when he found Lauren cheating on him with another guy!

"Oh, Alice, what have I done? Edward is going to be devastated! I can't let him see Lauren cheating!" I exclaimed quietly, not letting Edward hear from inside the house.

Alice again eyed me as if I was crazy, asking me, "How else is he going to see her true colors and break up with her?"

I shook my head frantically. "I don't know, but I'll find a way. I can't let him get hurt like this. I can't be so selfish!"

"You're not being selfish! Lauren is not good for him; we've both seen first-hand what the relationship has done to him. He hasn't been truly happy since he started going out with her! When she cancels on him, all it does is hurt him and send him into a twenty-four hour sulking period. The whole fiasco when she slapped you and he saw it has made him go into a depression since Monday night, only faking happiness at school." Alice was right. She continued, grabbing my shoulders, "But look at him, Bella! When he's with you he smiles and laughs naturally. You are his best friend in the whole world! And, call me crazy, but I swear that since last year he hasn't looked at you the same as he used to. You make my brother's life a better place, and getting rid of what makes his life harder is not being selfish."

Alice had never looked so fierce. I was looking down at her since she was shorter than me, but I felt like she towered over me. I had never felt so insignificant.

Edward came out and hollered, "All set! Bella, are your keys still in the ignition?" Alice and I both looked at Edward, startled.

I nodded and whispered to Alice, "It will still hurt him, whether it's selfish on my part or not."

She gave me a stern look, but sighed and gave me a hug. She told both Edward and me, "I guess I'll see you guys later. Bye, Edward! Bye, Bella!" She waved and entered the house, closing the door behind her.

Edward was already in the driver's seat, buckled in. "Come on, Bells! What happened to that speed you had earlier?"

I smiled weakly, troubled by the decision I had to make. Let Edward see Lauren making out with somebody else and break his heart to rid him of that horrible girl forever, or let him continue suffering silently, let his heart remain unbroken for the time being, but break my own in the process?

"I'm coming!" I hollered as I climbed into my truck. I decided to spare his heart for the time being—I could deal with the pain instead. "You know, Edward, why don't we go to McDonald's and get McFlurries instead? I don't feel like the hustle and bustle of the mall tonight."

He looked at me as if I had a third eye or a second head. "Since when do you like going to McDonald's? You hate that place, remember?"

_Darn it!_ I thought. I should have remembered that. I covered up quickly with another weak smile, saying, "I was testing you! I was worried that you had forgotten all about me after we haven't hung out for such a long time." I paused but added quickly, "But I really don't want to go to the mall. Anyplace else is fine, just not the mall, not tonight." I hoped he would take me up on my offer.

He shrugged and pulled onto the drive that connected his house to the main road. "The mall isn't so bad! You won't mind it as much as you think you will. Plus, I just have this strange urge to go to the smoothie place in the mall tonight. I can't explain it," he said.

I sighed and murmured, "Of course you do. That's my fault."

"What did you say? I couldn't hear you over your engine."

"Oh, nothing. I was just… mumbling my protest that I knew wouldn't affect your decision. Don't mind me."

"Ok," he said.

_No, not okay!_ I thought, sitting there in silence for the four minutes that it took to get to the mall. I had to find a way to get out of this.

*********************************************************


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: Sorry to the power of infinity for taking so long to update!  
I've been sooo busy lately because of school, so I had basically no time to write. I hope you'll forgive me? Please?**

**And another apology for how long this chapter is-- it's actually not even finished yet, but it got so long and I have so much left that I thought I'd just put it into two parts, the second part being chapter 9. Chapter 9 will be up about an hour or so after this is posted because it's already written and just has to be typed. **

**Only one person (I'm reasonably sure I'm correct.. plase corrct me if I'm wrong) gave me feedback on the questions I asked, so I took their feedback and the direction I wanted to take this story in and decided this chapter (and thus chapter 9 also) will be in Edward's point of view. :D**

**Since it's been so long since I've updated (again, sorry so much D:), I reccomend re-reading the excerpt from the story within a story at the beginning of the previous chapter, and maybe even skimming the ending of the last chapter (when Bella gets to the Cullen house) if your memory is bad.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter!!! R&R!!! ~Dakota**

E-POV

Bella and I had talked about menial things since I had taken the driver's seat, but I didn't mind that at all. I knew I had to talk to her and explain my behavior over the past week and why I hadn't talked to her.

The truth was that I had gotten upset over the fact that she had called Lauren a bitch and I let my unrequited but deep love for Bella get in the way of my seeing that situation correctly. I had assumed—and hoped—that Lauren was lying, and that is not what relationships are made of. They are built on honesty and trust, and I had to work on the latter; the only way to do that was to virtually eliminate all feelings I had for Bella (they weren't doing me any good, anyway).

That realization and experience had most definitely taken a toll on me the past week—it was like I had taken a vacation from my body. I was going through the motions of things, but not really feeling any of it. It was also like an emotional cleansing… I barely felt anything for Bella anymore now other than friendship. Romantic feelings were buried deep within me, contained inside a safe to which I did not have the key.

Yes, I was having such a good old time hanging with Bella that I put that aside for the moment. We hadn't hung out like this since before Lauren and I had started dating.

Bella was laughing at a joke I told her when I pulled into the mall parking lot. As I put her truck into park, a panicked look came onto her face,

"Seriously, Edward," she hurriedly pleaded, "I meant it when I said I didn't want to go to the Smoothie Shack! We can get ice cream or smoothies someplace else, anyplace else…."

I really had the urge to go to the Smoothie Shack for some reason, so I wasn't going to change the plans unless Bella had a specific place she really wanted to go to.

"Bella," I told her truthfully, "I told you before that I really want to go here to the smoothie place tonight for whatever reason, but I suppose that if you have some other specific place you really want to go to, we can go there instead."

She bit her lip and was obviously trying to think of another place, but she came up empty-handed.

"I don't know any specific place," she admitted. "Why don't we just drive around and try to find another place?" She smiled wide; she knew she had presented me with an option that was near impossible for me to refuse—I loved simply driving around talking with no destination.

That option was only _near_ impossible to refuse, however; we could still talk in the mall.

"As tempting as that sounds," I smiled, "I just want to get a smoothie. Come on, Bella, stop acting so weird."

A shocked expression came onto her face when she realized her plan had failed, and she reluctantly followed me out of the truck.

Her face, after the shock had disappeared, resumed its panicked expression and didn't rest the whole walk to the mall entrance, even though I had parked pretty far out in the lot.

I couldn't stand to see her so upset about something, so I asked her what was wrong right before we entered the mall.

She sighed and tired to put a happy face on for me. "Nothing's wrong," she lied. She could tell I knew she lied, too, so she quickly followed that statement, saying, "Don't worry about it. It's no big deal," and once I reluctantly said "OK" and opened the door for her, she mumbled, "I guess you'll find out soon enough."

"I will?" I asked, just barely hearing her.

"What?" Bella asked, surprised.

"You said something."

"No I didn't, Edward. You must be hearing things," she told me with a joking concerned look on her face and a hand on my shoulder before smiling widely like her normal self and walking father into the mall. I knew what she had said, but I knew just as well that she wouldn't admit to saying anything or explain what she had said unless she wanted to. She obviously didn't want to.

"Mmhmm, sure I am. Don't think that you're getting away with this. I'll get the truth out of you," I told her, joking, knowing full well that I wouldn't.

We dropped it after that point and talked about other things—anything and everything—while we walked the long way to the food court, where our destination was located.

We got in line and Bella started scanning the food court for something; for what, I knew not.

"Welcome to the Smoothie Shack, may I take your order?" the geeky looking teenage cashier asked.

"Bella," I asked, turning toward her, "what do you want?" When she didn't answer and continued staring into the court, I asked again, "Bella?"

Her head spun around, her wavy hair flying. "Yea?" she asked, startled.

"What smoothie do you want?" I repeated. I was like a broken record.

I had in my head what I thought she would order (her usual—strawberry coconut), but I just wanted to be sure.

"Strawberry coconut," she replied, and I smiled at my being correct.

"And I'll have a grape," I said. I paid then and Bella and I walked to the pick-up counter. She continued to be silent and look around. I didn't bother asking what or who she was looking for, so I told her that I would pick up our smoothies and that she should go get us a table in the meantime. She turned to face me with a familiar but indistinguishable look and nodded with a weak smile before walking away into the food court, not watching where she was going since she was still looking around. It was inevitable that her clumsy nature would show through and she walked straight into a table. I chuckled—she never ceased to amuse me, even when she was acting so bizarre.

I sighed and leaned on the counter. What could she be worried about? I was completely sure it was whatever made her want to go anywhere but the Shack. She had said I'd find out soon enough, though…whatever that meant.

Before I could think anything more, our smoothies were ready and I walked toward the table where Bella sat. She smiled when she spotted me walking over and had a look of relief plain on her face and a sparkle in her eyes—I was glad.

"Here we are," I said, giving her the strawberry coconut smoothie she ordered. "So maybe you don't want to leave so much anymore? You don't look nearly as stressed as before."

She smiled, embarrassed, and asked, "You noticed?"

I laughed out loud. "Of course I did! What do you take me for, Bella?"

She laughed a little too, and nodded. "Why was I so surprised by that?" she asked herself more than me.

She looked around once more casually before answering my original question, but before she finished, her eyes widened and panic spread across her features. I supposed she found whatever she had been worried about.

"I, uh, still don't want to be here, if that's what you meant. I want to go. Can we start to walk to my truck now?" she asked quickly.

She looked frightened and worried, so I didn't even think of arguing. "Okay, just let me grab some more napkins." The ones I had brought with me before had mysteriously vanished.

She nodded at first, so I started to turn around. She realized something then, and stood up shouting in the noisy food court, "Edward, wait, no!"

It was too late—that's when I saw it.

That's when I saw my girlfriend making out with Ben Cheney, a friend of mine from the baseball team—but not a friend anymore.

_To be continued!_


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Told you I'd be fast!**

**This one is a doozy of a chapter, too- I think 1,060 words, or around there?**

**I hope you like it and enjoy it! R&R! ~Dakota**

_Previously in __Love, She Wrote__:_

_It was too late—that's when I saw it._

_That's when I saw my girlfriend making out with Ben Cheney, a friend of mine from the baseball team—but not a friend anymore._

E-POV

My mouth hung wide open. My mind was virtually shut off, which explains why it didn't occur to me to stop my legs from carrying me closer to her. Bella tried to stop me, but her attempts failed.

A voice—I suppose it was mine, but I was so out of it in the moment that I couldn't tell—from somewhere stated in disbelief, "Lauren?"

She stopped exchanging spit with Ben long enough to look at me like a deer in the headlights.

"Edward," she stated utterly surprised, "This isn't what you think."

I laughed humorlessly. "Then what is it, Lauren? Care to enlighten me? Because it sure looks pretty obvious."

Her jaw popped open and she started at me. "It's just… I… Eddie, please… you have to believe me!"

I had nothing to say to her, so I shook my head and walked away, not looking back. Bella followed silently behind me.

When we finally got to the truck, I screamed out in anger and hit my fist on the cab. I leaned against the door and slid into a seated position on the asphalt, my back to the truck and my forearms resting on my knees. I shook my head—I was still so stunned and so angry.

Bella sat next to me with her legs crossed. "Edward, I'm so sorry," she consoled.

I looked at her. Her expression was pained. "Don't be," I sighed. "It's not like you caused this."

I heard he mumble something I didn't catch before she returned, "Either way, I'm sorry that she did that and that you had to see it. I… I'm here for you if you… need me."

She put her hand on mine and smiled slightly. A while ago—a week ago, even—her action would've sent my heart soaring. But how can a heart soar if it's broken? And why would a heart soar when it had no real reason to?

"Thanks, Bells. I don't know what I'd do without you," I admitted. I hugged her quickly and stood up. It was true. Without Bella, without my very best friend, I wouldn't have been able to hold myself together at all then.

I took a deep breath and tried to push Lauren out of my head. _Be strong for Bella,_ I thought.

All I wanted to do in that moment was to scream and yell and get all of this anger out, but instead I put on a smile and looked down at Bella, still sitting cross-legged beside the truck.

Where I expected to see a friendly smile and infinite support, I saw a tear run down her soft cheek. She wiped it away quickly, but not before I saw it.

I crouched down and put my hand on her shoulder. "Bella? What's wrong?" I asked.

She shook her head forcefully and muttered, "Nothing. Just nothing."

The anger inside me melted into compassion for my friend. "I don't believe you," I told her bluntly.

She looked up at me with frustration plain on her face. "You don't have to," she spat, her voice breaking.

I scooted closer to her and wrapped my arms around her in consolation. I rubbed her back and whispered, "And you don't have to lie to me." Another tear slid off her face and onto my skin.

"Huh," I chuckled humorlessly—nothing was funny about this night—and said, "I'm the one who just got cheated on, and you're the one who's acting up. You can tell me what's wrong, Bella."

She hugged me tight before letting go and looking at me with that indistinguishable look that was making appearances quite often lately. I yearned to know what it meant, and little did I know, I was about to find out.

"Edward, I…" she began, looking down and deliberating whether to continue or not. She peeked at me through her corn silk hair. Her corn silk hair, which I once considered the epitome of beauty, whose mahogany tone I once praised as gorgeous. Now, however, those feelings were buried deep inside and I did not have the key.

"Edward, I think I love you."

I stared at her. Did I just hear what I thought I heard? "Ex… excuse me?" I stammered in shock. Frustration and confusion now bubbled inside of me and I wanted to scream again.

Her eyes suddenly were overcome by a deep sadness. "I said, I love you," she repeated nervously, her voice breaking on "love."

Oh, the irony! I was ready to shoot myself. I had loved her for most of our high school experience, until a WEEK before, and NOW she loves me! Oh, how I wished those feelings were back in my heart then! But, alas, they were buried far deeper than I could consciously find. I stared into her doe eyes and gazed at her beautiful face, which was deeply troubled awaiting my response to her confession, and found nothing.

Even if I still had feelings for her, how could she have expected me to react; with an open heart? How could I do that after it was crushed and twisted and trampled on by Lauren when I saw her cheating on me?

I stood up and walked around, running my fingers through my hair. "Bella," I started, hating myself for saying this, "I think… I think it would be better if we stayed as only friends. I… I just can't…. You have to understand how confused I am already, and to throw this into the mix? I can't…. ah!" I pounded my fist into the side of her truck out of frustration, not leaving a dent because the ancient metal was so durable. I walked to the passenger side and sat down alone. I wasn't alone for long, though, as Bella stood up and followed me halfway. I was leaning against the passenger door, and she stopped at the very front of the truck. I reluctantly looked at her. Tears were streaming down her face as she clutched her sides.

This was my best friend, who I had known since we were practically infants and knew better than myself. This was my best friend, whom I had loved for over a year—just to finally let go of my feelings when she reveals her own.

This was my best friend, and I had broken her heart.

I had to console her, but I knew the slightest touch could torture her soul—I knew from experience. I walked over to her and tried to put my hand on her shoulder, but she pulled away. I couldn't blame her.

"Let me take you home, then," she mumbled, getting into the driver's side. I couldn't object to that, either; she could've said "go jump off a cliff" and I would've gone in an instant.

As she put the truck in drive and started the long and silent ride to my home, all I could think was, _what have I done?_

**A/N: My angst-iest chapter yet, no? I hope I did a good job of making the emotions seem and feel real, please give me your feedback! I'd love to hear from you! ~Dakota**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note:**

**I have to apologize for taking so long to update. I was just super busy because of school and various other things, and I'm sorry.  
But I hope it was well worth the wait! **

**I think this chapter is either very realistic or too far-fetched...And I'll let you be the judge.**

**I hope you like it! Happy reading!**

**B-pov**

I couldn't believe I told him. I couldn't believe it! I had completely ruined a life-long friendship with my best and dearest friend in the entire world with three little words—I love you.

What had I done? What was I doing? I didn't know anymore. I was confused and hurt and couldn't believe I had been so selfish.

He was already hurt and troubled by that despicable thing Lauren, and I just _had_ to spill out my feelings then and freak him out all the more. I came up to a red light and rested my forehead on the steering wheel. I was such an idiot—a selfish, stupid idiot who lost her best friend.

As the light turned green and I drove off, the reality of everything crashed into me. The reality that my love for Edward would forever go unrequited, the reality that I was never again to have my best friend, the reality that I had controlled people more than anybody ever should… it was all too much. I pulled over on the shoulder of the road and clutched my sides as the tears poured out.

I couldn't hold the floodgates any longer! The rush of emotion came down on me like a tsunami. My chest heaved in and out as I sobbed and tried to cry the feelings away.

The storm surge receded eventually, leaving destruction plain on my face. My now silent tears burned my red eyes and I could barely hold my pounding head up from my exhaustion. I lay down on the worn front seat of my truck and closed my puffy eyes; however, as soon as I started to drift off, my cell phone rang.

Edward's favorite song filled the cab; he had changed my ringtone to Clair de Lune a few weeks ago—before this whole mess begun, when I got the idea for the story—and I hadn't changed it since. It had reminded me of him during a time when we weren't always together, but now it taunted me with a memory of him when we could no longer be together at all. I made a mental note to change it and answered.

"Hello?" I managed with a toneless voice.

"Bella!" I heard Alice breathe, relieved. "Bella, are you okay? Edward… Edward told me everything. Do you need any help? Are you okay?" she repeated at the end.

I sat up and held my head in my hand. "Yea, I'm fine," I lied, and continued with more deceit, saying, "I'm okay. I don't need any help." Those were the biggest lies ever told by a living being. I was messed up, feeling terrible, and needed help more than anything else from those angels I was lucky enough to call my friends.

There was silence on the other end of the line. I knew Alice didn't believe me—who would?—and I could tell she was debating whether to call me on it or just meet me at my house anyway.

Finally, I heard the faint closing of a car door. "Bella, I'm coming. Are you home yet?"

I sighed. I couldn't lie and send her to my empty home (my dad was working late that night) but I couldn't drive to meet her there either. My tears were a safety hazard—they blurred my vision and I could barely see the road.

"Well, Alice," I started, still tempted to lie again, "no. I'm parked on the side of the road."

She gasped, evidently just realizing exactly how bad the situation was. "I'll be there in two seconds! I'll bring Rosalie, too. You just hang in there, sweetie! It'll all be okay, I promise."

"Alice, please, don't make a big deal out of this," I pleaded softly.

Her voice softened from slightly frenzied to deep and warm. "Okay, Bella. Just hold on and stay there, Rose and I will be there soon."

"Okay," I mumbled, and hung up the phone. I changed my ringtone and sat up in the seat. It was going to be a long night.

* * *

It was the Friday of the Spring Fling Dance. Edward was back with Lauren (how that happened I doubt I'll ever know), Rosalie and Emmett were now dating, and Alice and Jasper had gone public with their relationship (although you couldn't tell, since they were big disbelievers is public displays of affection).

Yup, every one of my friends had a date...except myself, naturally. I was going to stay home, eating chocolate ice cream and wallowing in my own pathetic misery after the longest week of my life.

After my meltdown before, Alice and Rosalie were like worried mothers, always checking in on me. I didn't completely blame them for their constant worrying. I had been a wreck not only when they found me in my car but also all week.

It wasn't active hints I was giving—I didn't moan and groan and such—it was more passive. I wouldn't talk much and I didn't laugh or anything, either. It was almost as if I wasn't there, as it was described to me later. I know Edward would've called me a wall flower—it was what he called me whenever I was depressed, since the silence was a tell-tale sign I was upset (this time, however, it was taken to a whole new extreme, apparently). My wall flower status was most definitely noted by my girls—they tried to pull a reaction out of me at every turn.

They were always at it with "How are you feeling?" but other recurring questions were "Do you need a hug?" and "Are you comfortable?" Rosalie was the absolute worst whenever Lauren was in sight with "Is she staring?" and "Is she smirking at you?" My personal favorite of the Lauren questions was "Do you need me to go beat her sorry butt up?" I always said no, even though the real answer was always yes.

Another reason why that week was so long was because it was overwhelmingly awkward. I didn't run into Edward much, but when I did, I know both of us were gasping for fresh air.

I first ran into him at the newspaper staff meeting on Tuesday. We have assigned seats (our sponsor Mrs. Carpenter insisted on it), and of course my seat was next to Edward. As Alice went through allotting assignments, I stared at the floor while I heard Edward opening and closing his mouth as if he were trying to start a conversation. At the end of the meeting he held me back, and said he wanted to talk to me. I stopped, intently listening as I was extremely curious, but he just ran his fingers through his hair before telling me I dropped my pencil and dashing out of the room.

I met him again in the hall, in Spanish, in Biology, in the lunch line, and even at Alice's car, where he again almost started a conversation. (Alice even made the awkward turtle that time. She got a giggle out of me—my only response all week.)

And, on top of all of this, I couldn't even write an installment. I simply couldn't! I avowed that I would never ever control people like that again and accepted that there was nothing I could do.

I sighed as I thought of this, and Alice and Rosalie picked up on it immediately. They were driving me home, as they had insisted on doing all week. I was in the backseat and Alice turned around from the passenger seat to look me in the eyes as she asked me "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," I said with a light tone, one I had developed over the week that almost sounded convincing.

She huffed. "Of course nothing's wrong. Nothing's ever wrong," she mentioned sarcastically. "If everything's so peachy keen, then why don't you come to the dance tonight and hang out with us? You know you'll have fun, and we won't make you dance."

I bit my lip. "I have a report, actually," I replied, which was true. I had a report for Biology that I had been putting off for a month.

Rosalie rolled her eyes—I could see them in her rearview—and looked at me through her mirror. "That's crap, Bella, and you know it. Whether you have a report or not, we all know you wouldn't pass up a fun Friday night to work on it. Goodness, Bells, there has to be some way of getting you to do SOMETHING! You've been a vegetable this past week. You've been so out of whack! And don't you dare say you're fine—we know you aren't."

I was beginning to get upset. I wanted them to just leave me alone on the topic! "I know I'm not, either. But what do you want me to do about it?" I scoffed. I folded my arms and stared out the window.

"Either get over this whole Edward mess or go after him," she said coldly.

My mouth popped open. Both were impossible choices!

"Rose, you know I can't just 'get over' Edward! And go after him? How could you say that! That's why I'm in this mess in the first place. We're better staying friends, if that after my spilling the beans. He doesn't feel the same way I do, and you know that!"

"I'm not sure we do," she said, exchanging a glance with Alice.

"Edward's been acting mighty strange this past week, Bella," Alice said. "He's been asking about you every day, at every possible opportunity."

"He may be asking as a worried friend," I suggested.

"Every time Lauren calls he says to tell her he can't come to the phone," she tried again.

"He could be busy," I mentioned.

"He's been muttering to himself all week." At that I actually started listening. Edward always muttered to himself when he was stressed or something was troubling him. You can even tell what's bothering him if you listen; it's like he's talking in his sleep while staying awake. She continued, "He'll keep saying 'Just until the dance' whenever Lauren is brought up, and whenever anybody mentions you there are a number of things he says. Sometimes he'll shake his head and say 'if only a week sooner,' or he'll run his fingers through his hair and say 'if only I could find a way to tell her.' Personally, I'm convinced that he…likes you."

"I agree with Alice," Rosalie said.

I looked at the evidence. It definitely seemed that way to my hopeful heart. But I knew to be more realistic. "Maybe he just wants to tell me something tomorrow, after the dance, that he wanted to tell me a week sooner. Maybe he wants us to be friends again after this week of separation. You don't know exactly what he's thinking, and there are so many possibilities!"

We pulled up to my house as I said the final word. Rose and Alice were silent. I picked up my things and thanked them for the ride before wishing them a good time at the dance. "Tell me how it goes," I told them with a weak smile.

I walked up to my front door quickly to avoid anything else they might have to say. Unfortunately, I didn't walk fast enough.

"Bella!" Alice called. I turned around to face her, and she said, "I know that he likes you. I know my brother, and I can just tell! I just… don't have any proof. I have only my word."

I smiled again; it was pained. "I know Alice. I just can't…I can't put my heart out there again!" I hollered and ran inside. I slammed the door and leaned against it, sliding down onto the floor. I sat there for a while holding my knees before the phone rang.

I let it ring, knowing when the answering machine picked up I would hear the caller leaving a message.

The velvet voice I knew all too well filled my living room. "Hey Bella, it's me. Please pick up, I have something important to tell you. It's about what you told me last Friday at the mall. Please pick up," he pleaded, but I was glued to the floor, my eyes riveted on the telephone. After a few moments of waiting he continued. "I guess you're not there. Anyway, I don't want to say this over a message…. It's what I've been trying to tell you all week but couldn't find the words to say. If you could call me back… wait, never mind, that won't work. I have to get ready for the dance, but meet me there if you can. I really have to talk to you, in person. Bye."

I stood up and held my sides. The hopeful possibility Alice brought to my attention was screaming at me, but I just couldn't be sure. What could I do to find out? I had no idea what would happen if I went to that dance. I could end up crying in the bathroom thinking of could-have-been's, worse than I was that week. What I enjoyed most about the installments was that I knew what was going to happen, for the most part. I wasn't scared. I was protected.

But this, this was unpredictable. This was going rogue, off the books. I thought about that for a moment.

"This is what life is all about,"I said to myself. "I have to take control, for real. Go out and live my life instead of setting it up."

I had a new found confidence. I was going to the dance, whether Edward loved me or not. I was going to get my friend back, or maybe even gain a boyfriend—a true love, something I never thought existed.

**So, what did you think? Please review! I'd love to hear what you think, flames included.  
I'll try to answer any questions you may have... I might've been a tad confusing in expressing myself! I was very tired writing this!**

**ALSO! This is the SECOND TO LAST CHAPTER! The end is near, my friends, so stay tuned...**

**Merry Christmas, (and also happy hannukah and happy kwanzaa, if you clebrate those!)**

**~Dakota Catherine**


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: This is it, everybody! This is the final chapter! **

**I would like to thank everybody who has been reading this story! It means so much to me that you enjoy it.  
Thank you for all of the reviews, too! They always made my day and motivated me to write, and sometimes even helped me make my story better. **

**I'm just really excited to be posting this chapter because this is the first story that I've ever written that I've actually finished! I wrote out the plot, I followed through writing the chapters all the way to the end, and I finally made it to the finish- this is my first real story, and I hope you all enjoyed it!**

**Happy reading!**

**Edward POV**

I hung up the phone, still holding it tight. I had really just done it. I called her. What if she called back? Crap, I had completely forgotten what I was going to say! I covered my mouth with my hand and stuffed the other in my pocket as I paced back and forth.

I sighed and checked the time. I had to start getting ready for the dance—I was cutting it close. Alice had gone over to Jasper and Rosalie's house two hours ago, and even Emmett, who is always late, had left already. I ran up the stairs, remembering parts of my speech with every step.

Over the past week, I had seen Bella an awful lot compared to the weeks before. Mostly bumping into her and such, but that was enough—it was enough time to see her troubled face and fake smile and to see my wall flower the worst shape she had ever been in. It broke my heart to see her so depressed.

But then, seeing her leave our encounter with her hair bouncing along behind her as she walked reminded me of good times and a happier Bella. It reminded me of hanging out, eating pizza, midnight visits in midsummer, and afternoon visits after Christmas. Really, it reminded me of how much I loved Bella and the reasons why I did.

I remembered not only how beautiful she was, especially when she was happy, but also her personality. I remembered the way her nose would wrinkle when she smelled anchovies on pizza, the way she would pull her hair back from her face, the way she would write me notes when I was sitting right next to her, and most especially the way she laughed!

And the notion that I had sent this wonderful, breathtaking friend of mine into such a dark depression killed me.

I knew I wanted her back in my life. I wanted my friend back, I wanted my Bella back! Accepting this fact brought my love, too, back more than ever. Every tear I saw slip down her face that she quickly wiped away was breaking the shackles that held it away.

I had struggled so hard figuring out how to express all of this over the week. I was ready to let her know on Tuesday, but my tongue wasn't.

I supposed that this inconvenience was better, since it gave me time to tie up a loose end left by all this: Lauren.

Alice went nuts when she found out that I was taking Lauren to the dance. Sometimes I wondered how that happened myself, but the answer was the same as anything else Lauren convinced me of. She told me she wasn't at fault, she played my compassion, and I caved. I mean, it was just a dance, and taking her would be nothing, I thought. That is, until my realizations about Bella. I had promised I would take Lauren to the dance, but I wanted to take Bella.

After many nights of thinking, I figured that taking her to the dance would be the best situation. I could stay as her boyfriend—technically—until the dance, when I would dance with her one last time and let her down easy, telling her that I loved somebody else and wanted her to be happy.

I said my planned speech for Bella in my head one last time as I straightened my tie in the mirror. This was it—the beginning of the end.

* * *

"Alice, is Bella here?" I asked my sister when I arrived. I had thought of her the whole ride here, and I couldn't help but ask.

Alice was startled—she didn't know I was behind her. "No, she decided not to come the last time I talked to her. Why, have you heard something different? Have you talked to her? Edward, what's going on?"

Alice was too curious. I couldn't tell her everything now, so I just continued as quickly as possible. "Well, I left a message asking her to come. Hopefully she'll be here later. Have you seen Lauren either? I need to talk to her, too, before Bella gets here."

My foot was tapping, the adrenaline pulsing through my veins as I yearned to move along and not remain stationary for a single moment longer. Of course, Alice was taking her time trying to sort things out. "Shouldn't you know where she is? I thought you were taking her to the dance, for crying out loud!"

"We decided to meet here. Please, Alice, just tell me where she is!"

"I don't have the slightest idea where she is, Edward! What do you think I am, a GPS system? Why are you even here with her, anyway, after what she did? And why have you been calling Bella and are still taking Lauren? I'm so confused! Edward, what the heck is going on here?!"

"I'll explain later. Right now I just have to talk to Lauren," I explained as I turned away. I scanned the crowd for Lauren.

Having something to do made my heart slow down a bit, which helped my nerves infinitely. I thought of what I was going to say to Lauren. I would start out simply saying I needed to tell her something and she couldn't interrupt (she had a habit of never letting me finish a sentence). Then I would say: "Lauren, I've enjoyed these past few weeks being your boyfriend. You've been so kind to me and made me feel really special.

"But after things that have happened—last Friday, namely, and a few other things—I can't see you the same way. I never know if you'll use your great smile and easy tears to convince me of something I had my mind completely against, and I can't deal with that. We aren't meant to be together. There's all of this, and I love somebody else. I'm sorry.

"I hope you don't hold this against me, or her, and move on. I want you to be happy. Goodbye, Lauren." And with that I would kiss her forehead and walk away in search of my true love, my best friend, my Bella.

The DJ put on a slow song and the crowd of dancers started to thin. Couples danced away, leaving a path into the heart of the dance floor. I followed that path, searching all the time for Lauren. Finally, I found her, but in the worst possible of circumstances.

I saw her kiss Mike Newton, with tongue, right as I spotted her. I already hated Mike for trying so many times to go out with Bella freshmen and sophomore years when she was so obviously not interested. He had annoyed her, bombarded her, and scared her. Right now, he was apparently having the opposite effect on Lauren.

How ironic.

I was even past the point of being mad, and I simply laughed at my own stupidity. If she could cheat on me with this lowlife scum who wasn't even relatively good looking—he was the nerdy pizza-delivery-guy type of kid—then what could I have been worth to her? I wasted all of this time feeling bad for breaking up with her when she was here having a good ol' make out session with Newton.

"Hey, Lauren," I called, standing with my hands in my pockets.

She pushed Newton away and angrily looked in the direction of the interrupting voice, only to realize it was me and have shock fill her face. "Eddie! You're here! I… I, uh…" she slapped Newton flat on the cheek with no mercy. How funny—she thought that would fool me. Not only that, but she so quickly changed her attitude toward her piece of meat. I shook my head.

"Lauren, don't hurt the poor guy. I know he didn't come on to you—I saw you kiss him. Don't act so surprised. You know what? I'm done. I was going to break up with you anyway because of you doing the same thing last Friday! I must mean nothing to you, since you keep cheating on me! You know, whatever. This just makes my job easier. Have a nice life," I smiled as I gave her a mock salute and ran through the crowd laughing. Why had I been such an idiot?

Well, it didn't matter now; I was on my way to find my real true love, my Bella.

* * *

**Bella POV**

I sat frozen in the school parking lot, clutching the steering wheel and unsure of what to do next.

I had been so confident and so sure getting over here! What was I doing chickening out at this point? Was it that I was acting so unusual that I scared myself? That could've quite possibly been it. Quite possibly.

I dropped my hands and took the key out of the ignition. I was halfway through getting out of the car.

But what if he was in there dancing with Lauren? I would be torn to pieces! _Stop that!_ I said to myself. _Live your life, remember? Take charge! Take control! _

I nodded to myself after my mini-pep talk and tried to remember what I was going to say to Edward. I would tell him that I was sorry for revealing my feelings at such a bad time. I would tell him that no matter how he felt I still wanted to be friends with him and I wouldn't let anything get in the way of that, ever. It wasn't much, but at least it was something.

I finally got out of the truck and fixed my sweatshirt—I didn't have enough time to find and change into a dress after I decided to meet Edward at the dance, so I just showed up in what I had worn to school, which was a sweatshirt and jeans. I felt ridiculous showing up in such casual and messy clothes, but I just had to get here! I just had to talk to him. I took a deep breath and started walking toward the gym, where the dance was.

To my surprise, I saw Edward run out of the gym right when I walked up.

His face was flushed red and he couldn't have looked any more handsome. His hair was perfectly messy, with one stray piece of hair falling in his face and curling adorably. His lips were parted as he was breathing heavily and it made him look so innocent and down-to-earth that his breathlessness was breathtaking to me. And then, his eyes! His gorgeous green gazers glistened in the moonlight and seemed to shine all the more when he saw me—something that made my already fluttering heart skip a beat. Seeing him walk toward me made me want to melt! His legs seemed to move so fluidly and flawlessly, and his dress pants fell so rightly that it just made me smile a little more. As my stare moved up I saw his blissful smile and it nearly knocked me off my feet! His happiness made me want to soar and scream at the top of my lungs!

But, I was simply breathless, frozen, and star-struck as my best friend stopped in front of me.

"Bella! You made it!" he breathed. "I'm so glad!"

I smiled wider, if that was physically possible. "Yea, I did. I'm pretty glad myself," I managed to say in almost a whisper. All the emotion raging inside of me was almost too much to bear!

He smiled more, too. "It… it's just so nice to see you. I've been waiting all week to talk to you, and… gosh, I can't even think straight. You look so beautiful, Bella."

I blushed. "I'm in jeans and a sweatshirt, Edward! My hair is a mess and I don't even have any makeup on." What was he saying? He couldn't be serious.

He smiled—he wasn't joking. "What does that all matter? Right now, just the way you look…you're simply beautiful."

I smiled and bit my lip. That's not something you hear every day, especially from your best friend! "Well, thanks," I whispered.

I screamed at myself to say something, _anything_, to move the conversation along. Nothing came. Nada. Zilch. Zip.

He laughed and continued. "Sorry to put you on the spot. I'm just a little bit shook up anyway from what just happened, and I don't exactly have my wits about me to, uh, filter my speech."

I was lost. What had just happened, what was he talking about? My confusion showed plainly on my face and he caught himself. "Oh," he chuckled a bit, embarrassed, "I guess you wouldn't know, would you?" He paused before saying clearly, "I just broke up with Lauren." He stuffed his hands into his pockets and looked intently at his shoes.

I was shocked! The news I had waited to hear for over a month suddenly came out _now_, at this moment? Why?

I didn't even think before speaking, saying, "Why would you do that? I thought you liked her. You stuck with her after everything she did." I wanted to kick myself after that—what a terrible thing to say and bring up in a conversation like this!

He looked up slowly and gazed straight into my eyes. "Because I love you, Bella."

I was breathless. What did he just say? Did that really just happen? My jaw dropped and I gasped a little as I looked deep into his beautiful eyes—he was dead serious. If I knew Edward at all, I could tell right now that he was more serious than he had ever been in his entire life.

"What?" I breathed, simply astounded.

He stepped forward and grabbed my hands. "I love you, Bella. I fell for you when you still thought love was ridiculous and silly, remember those days? I feel for you so easily, like Picasso painting a masterpiece or a bird flying in the sky. It came so naturally! I was waiting for you to catch up until just a week before you revealed your feelings. It was just a week before you told me when I accepted that you didn't feel the same way I did. I was finally accepting what I thought was the truth—huh, was I wrong.

"But seeing you depressed this past week killed me! And knowing that I did it to you made it all the worse. I could hardly stand myself. I saw my beautiful wall flower wilting and I had not the slightest idea what to do about it. But every tear I saw slip down your face—I know you tried to wipe them away, but I still saw them—chipped away a piece of the shackles that was holding my love down deep inside.

"When it broke free, I remembered all of the reasons why I had loved you in the first place! Your enchanting smile, your beautiful face, your one of a kind mannerisms—everything about you and every single thing you do!

"Bella, you're my best friend...but you're so much more. You're a part of me."

I was stunned. Tears were streaming down my face as my best friend and true love confessed all of this to me. I was just so overwhelmed by emotion that I could hardly breathe!

"Oh, Edward!" I yelled as I hugged him tight. "I love you so much! I was so wrong in saying love is silly. It's amazing, it's beautiful! It's made me see things I never saw before—it made me see you, so handsome and so wonderful! It's made me so strong to come see you tonight! I love you Edward, and I want nothing more than to be with you!"

He pulled away just enough to see my wet face and kissed me, and I kissed him back. All the love in my heart exploded out in that moment as I kissed him and delighted in his warm embrace. This was better than anything I could've written. This was real, and it was amazing.

**THE END**

* * *

That's it! I sincerely hoped you liked it. It took me so long to write and... well I just hope it was really good!

(I might write an epilogue, but I'm not positive. If I get enough feedback I might be more inclined to ;D)

Thank you infinitely for reading my story, Love, She Wrote!  
please review it one last time. :)

love to all,  
~Dakota


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